April 19, 2011
England

Newly formed wind turbine opposition group looking for members

Scunthorpe Telegraph, www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk 19 April 2011Scunthorpe Telegraph, www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk 19 April 2011

Campaigners have stepped up their efforts to stop four wind turbines being built.

Turbines up to 127m high could be put up on a landfill site near Winterton under proposals put forward by the Waste Recycling Group (WRG).

Now, a residents’ group has formed to oppose the plans.

Nick Burton, one of five leading organisers, who has lived in Winterton for more than 40 years, said: “We are called Winterton Against Inappropriate Turbines (Wait).

“This is because we are not against renewable energy in this way, we just do not want them so close to our homes.

“As residents, we are acting independently on this but are seeking the support of Winterton Town Council.

“We just want WRG to listen to our views and find an alternative way to produce energy.

“If this development was to go ahead, it would be one of the closest found to a residential area in the country, only 0.6km from nearby homes.

“The presence of wind turbines at this distance would negatively influence local house prices.

“According to a 2007 report commissioned by the Royal Institute Of Chartered Surveyors, in some cases turbines can result in a drop in house prices of more than 50 per cent.”

The turbines, which would be even taller than the 125m towers at the Bagmoor site, would be capable of generating enough electricity to power up to 5,700 homes.

Some locals are worried that they could be a blight on the landscape, although the firm has rejected this.

A spokesman for WRG said: “We have proposed to put four wind turbines at Winterton Landfill site in North Lincolnshire. WRG has been operating this site for 27 years.

“The proposal follows a review of closed and operational landfill sites across the UK, including the Iron Stone Quarry site at Winterton.

“We want to establish feasible locations for wind energy projects.

“As part of the environmental studies at the Iron Stone Quarry site, a temporary meteorological mast was put up in August 2009. This helped to establish in more detail the available wind.

“The feasibility studies are now complete and indicate that the site would be a suitable location for a wind energy project.”

A plan will be submitted by WRG to North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee within the next few weeks.

Concerned Winterton residents are asked to attend the town council meeting tonight at 7pm, or every Monday night at 7pm, at the George Hogg Pub in Winterton.

For more information or to contact Wait, visit www.wintertonagainstinappropriateturbines.org.uk

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/04/19/newly-formed-wind-turbine-opposition-group-looking-for-members/