July 28, 2011
England

Group urges action against wind farm plan

By Martin Neville, Isle of Wight County Press, www.iwcp.co.uk 27 July 2011

A group opposed to the controversial Vectis Wind Farm is planning to mobilise its 3,000 registered supporters against the plan.
A newsletter from The Wight Against Rural Turbines (ThWART) is going out, encouraging supporters to object to the plans in time for a deadline of Friday, August 5.
In its newsletter, ThWART said project developer Infinergy has provided no evidence in its planning application to mitigate the damage the turbines will have on the surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coasts.
*In response, Infinergy said the project was a positive opportunity for the Isle of Wight.
Project director Herb Lindlahr said: “Vectis Wind Farm will be providing green electricity to up to 6,400 Island homes.
“Every little contribution towards improving national energy security as well as tackling climate change helps.”
But Stuart Hutchinson, ThWART spokesman, described it as a ‘highly inappropriate and potentially damaging development’.
He said: “In the previously rejected application, there were six turbines in a line, two at 108 metres and four at 100 metres high.
“The new proposal is for a cluster of five turbines with a blade tip height of 100 metres.
“ThWART believes this grouping would more severely affect local dwellings than before and would have an enormous impact on the surrounding, unspoiled landscape and consequently the tourism income on which the Island depends.
“The turbines would be taller than the spire of the landmark All Saints’ Church in Ryde, for example.
“The blade sweep diameter of 70m for each turbine is larger than the wing span of a jumbo jet and its sweep area more than half the size of a Premiership football pitch.”
Public meetings have been organised by Yarmouth Town Council on Tuesday, August 2 at Thorley Church from 6.30pm and Shalfleet Parish Council at Wellow Institute on Wednesday, August 3, at 7pm.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/07/28/group-urges-action-against-wind-farm-plan/