November 10, 2011
England

Turbine plans are met with hot air

BY JONATHAN REILLY, Herald & Post, www.northampton-news-hp.co.uk 10 November 2011

A councillor has described a scheme for a new wind farm near to a Northamptonshire village ‘absolutely horrendous.’

Plans for nine, 90 metres wind turbines to the east of Roade, announced by Wind Prospect Developments Limited (WPDL), were handed into South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) earlier this week.

However the ward councillor for Blisworth and Roade has vigorously opposed the proposals.

Cllr Sally Townsend said: “It’s absolutely horrendous, and I will be representing my ward to do what we can.

“I don’t support them, as they are expensive to build and they don’t generate much electricity – most of the ones I see just stand still.” However, the company developing the turbines believes there will be limited impact on local communities due to its proximity with the M1.

Alastair Smith, development and planning manager at WPDL, said: “Following an extensive series of technical and environmental investigations stretching over more than a year, we have demonstrated that this site is ideally suited to the creation of a wind farm and we hope that the SNC Planning Committee will support our proposal.

“The site is significantly distant from large conurbations and already experiences a significant level of visual and noise intrusion caused by the M1.” The M1 Wind Farm application is strongly supported by Blisworth-based environmental specialists Buttonwood Marketing.

Managing director Graham Meller, a Shutlanger resident, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to create a local source of clean renewable energy and I would urge as many people as possible to support the proposal because it will help to reduce the pollution and climate effects of burning fossil fuels.” It is not just villages in South Northamptonshire that are unhappy with the potential wind farms.

Residents in Winwick, another village threatened by wind farms, protested against energy firm E.ON last weekend, by burning an effigy of a wind turbine on their Guy Fawkes night bonfire.

In August, 700 people turned out to protest against a potential seven turbine farm.

Winwick protester Phillip Bradbury said: “We think E.ON has got a flaming cheek wanting to erect their monstrosities in the middle of a beautiful landscape such as the Northamptonshire Uplands.

“To say we are hot under the collar about this desecration of our countryside is an absolute understatement.

“Make no mistake, we are fighting these guys all the way.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/10/turbine-plans-are-met-with-hot-air/