October 14, 2011
England

Hundreds attend Honda wind turbines planning meeting

BBC News, www.bbc.co.uk 13 October 2011

A public meeting attended by hundreds of people has been held to hear whether Wiltshire’s first wind turbines will be built.

Car company Honda, in partnership with energy supplier Ecotricity, wants to build three wind turbines to power its Swindon plant near South Marston.

Planning officers recommended Swindon Borough Council grant permission despite opposition from residents.

They say the 394ft (120m) high turbines will be too large and noisy.

Honda has since offered Swindon Council an alternative plan for two turbines, rather than the original three.

It has proposed that the turbine nearest to homes be removed from the plan.

South Marston-based protest group Ill Wind maintains that the remaining turbines would still be too close to homes at a distance of 1,935ft (590m) and that noise levels will still be unacceptable.

Honda said it is essential to keep its Swindon car and engine manufacturing site as one of the world’s most efficient while also meeting tough internal targets to reduce its carbon footprint.

The planning application meeting was held at Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre.

A previous hearing at the council’s Civic Offices in July was rescheduled after 300 people turned up and could not fit into the council chamber without breaching fire regulations.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/14/hundreds-attend-honda-wind-turbines-planning-meeting/