August 3, 2011
England

Protests against Salcey turbines

Northampton Chronicle & Echo, www.northamptonchron.co.uk 2 August 2011

More than 150 villagers in South Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas have joined the fight against plans to “industrialise” an ancient woodland by building 15 giant wind turbines nearby.

Residents from Hanslope, Stoke Goldington, Tathall End, Gayhurst and Ravenstone, Castlethorpe and Hartwell attended a public meeting in Stoke Goldington last week to view detailed plans to build the wind turbine next to Salcey Forest. The meeting was organised by the Save Our Salcey campaign group.

Ian Allen, chairman of the protest group, said: “We accept the need to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, but these wind turbines are enormous and operate at low levels of efficiency.

“If this proposal goes ahead, it would result in the industrialisation of a large rural area next to Salcey Forest, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It would damage the landscape permanently.”

Electricity firm, Ecotricity, has applied for permission to build the wind farm next to the forest. The proposal, submitted to Milton Keynes Council, is to build the wind farm on land at Stoke Lodge Farm, in Purse Lane, Stoke Goldington.

Mr Allen added: “If you dare to object to such industrialisation of the countryside for profit, you are dismissed as a NIMBY. But developers have already built wind turbines at Petsoe End, and there are plans for more at Haversham, Alderton and near Hartwell. Add the 15 additional proposals in the pipeline for wind factories in the region and soon there will be no unspoilt landscape left. For details about the group and the application visit www.saveoursalcey.com.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/08/03/protests-against-salcey-turbines/