March 10, 2011
England

Not all Sellindge residents are blown away by plan for wind turbines

By Mike Sims, www.thisiskent.co.uk 10 March 2011

Half a dozen wind turbines could be built in Sellindge as part of an energy firm’s multi-million pound proposals.

Ecotricity held a public exhibition on Thursday of its plans for a wind park at Burch’s Rough, just south of the village, which would supply “green” power to more than 10,000 homes in Shepway.

Residents’ reactions to the proposals on Thursday were mixed, with some saying the focus for local energy should be Dungeness power station, while others expressed support for the scheme.

Ecotricity revealed it wants to build five or six turbines, 120 metres tall from the ground to the blade tip.

It said it would cost “several million” pounds, with a planning application to erect two temporary 80-metre tall wind masts, which measure wind speeds, likely to be lodged by the summer.

The firm, which already operates 52 wind turbines at 16 parks across the UK, said the park at Sellindge could generate enough electricity to power 24 per cent of Shepway’s households.

Speaking at the village hall, Ecotricity spokesman Mike Cheshire said he had been encouraged by the response from locals.

He said: “Potential sites have to meet 27 criteria, from having a connection to the national grid nearby to considering whether the area is windy enough.

“Sellindge meets them all.”

Comparisons were made with the 26 wind turbines on Romney Marsh.

The £60million site opened in 2009, the South East’s largest onshore wind farm.

Last week Sellindge Residents’ Association chairman Ronald Lello called the project “another nail in Sellindge’s coffin”.

He said it was too much for a small village already battling plans for a sludge plant, a lorry park and a project for 400 new homes.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/10/not-all-sellindge-residents-are-blown-away-by-plan-for-wind-turbines/