March 30, 2011
England

Airfield wind farm plans resurface

Harborough Mail, www.harboroughmail.co.uk 29 March 2011

Revised plans for a wind farm on a former airfield have been met with stiff opposition.

Energy firm Nuon Renewables’ plans to put up seven 125m high turbines at the former RAF Harrington site were dismissed on appeal last year.

But the Cornwall-based company last week unveiled a revised proposal for just three turbines at the same site, removing four of the turbines which a Government planning inspector ruled were too close to the historic airfield.

However, the plans have been rubbished by campaign group Say No to Harrington, which contested the original proposals.

Professor David Unwin from the group said: “There is a certain arrogance about Nuon in their assumption that they see this as a done deal.

“I think the majority of local people will be very much on the same side as us on this. They know full well the environmental damage this could cause.”

Professor Unwin claimed the site, which he said lies in a sheltered valley, is unsuitable for a wind farm and that the negative environmental impact on the area would far outweigh any advantages. He said: “I think it is total proof of the lunacy of onshore wind farms in Great Britain. What we have to do now is to consider our position and I would expect Daventry District Council to oppose this too.”

The original seven turbine plan had also been opposed by English Heritage and the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.

RAF Harrington was used by the US Air Force for top secret operations during the Second World War and to store Thor Missiles during the Cold War.

Nuon Renewables said the new plans would be submitted to Daventry council in the spring and added: “This is a project that can contribute to the transformation of our energy mix. Given the council and the planning inspector were in agreement that, aside from the impact on the Thor Missile launch pads’ setting, this was an acceptable development, we have developed a proposal which addresses these concerns.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/30/airfield-wind-farm-plans-resurface/