September 29, 2011
England

Wind turbines plan concerns Ludlow MP Philip Dunne

BBC News, www.bbc.co.uk 29 September 2011

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne has said he opposes plans to build two wind turbines in south Shropshire.

Mr Dunne said the proposed structures near Meadowley would be “overlooked by an area of outstanding natural beauty”.

The two turbines have been earmarked to stand either side of the Jack Mytton Way bridle way.

Sustainable Bridgnorth and Sharenergy want the turbines to be run by a local not-for-profit group in an effort to “lower the area’s carbon footprint”.

They have set up the Crida Community Wind Project co-operative to run the facility.

‘Beautiful landscape’

Speaking at a meeting organised by the Stop Bridgnorth Wind Farm (SBWF) action group at Morville village hall on Wednesday, Mr Dunne said the location was not suitable for the turbines.

“Shropshire at the moment doesn’t have wind turbines and I think the council who’ll be the planning authority will need to look very carefully at any applications that go in,” the Conservative MP added.

“I’m concerned that we don’t become a county overrun by onshore wind turbines. We have outstanding natural beauty in the landscape in Shropshire and I think we want to keep it that way.

“I’m a junior member of the government and we do have a clear commitment to try and increase the proportion of energy coming from renewable sources.

“There is currently a review going on of the subsidy regime and I’m very hopeful that review will push people who are looking to help develop renewable resource towards some of the natural resource that is here like hydro-power which has much less environmental impact than does onshore wind turbines.”

Energy efficient

John Halle, from Sharenergy, said his group’s primary aim was to create green energy.

“The idea that we’re doing this for a profit motive couldn’t be further from the truth.

“One thing sometimes levelled at wind turbines is the idea that they don’t work and are just a scam for subsidy or that they use more energy in their creation than they ever produce.

“A wind turbine, in a matter of three to six months, will pay back the energy used in its construction.

“Some people don’t like wind turbines and I’d hate to scotch people’s concerns. I do think that if people don’t like them that’s a perfectly legitimate concern.

“The SBWF organisation has said that a wind turbine will sound like an aircraft taking off which is completely absurd. Anyone who’s been anywhere near a wind turbine will know this isn’t true.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/09/29/wind-turbines-plan-concerns-ludlow-mp-philip-dunne/