January 4, 2012
England

Fury over turbines as tall as lighthouse

Hull Daily Mail, www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk 4 January 2012

Residents are outraged by plans to install two wind turbines in the heart of their village.

The owners of the Manor Farm in Bempton have submitted plans to install the two 24m Gaia turbines on land which lies just 180m away from homes.

The turbines will lie closer to the village centre than the railway station – not far from the church and the duck pond.

Bempton resident and anti-wind turbine campaigner David Hinde is shocked by the plans.

He said: “These turbines will be so close to the heart of the village.

“They wouldn’t be far from the church and would be nearer than the railway station.

“The site is also in the Flamborough Heritage Coast Landscape Protection Area, which makes it some of the most valuable land in the East Riding for wildlife.

“The area isn’t far from Bempton Cliffs and there are barn owls, bats and pink- footed geese round here.”

Alan McLean’s home in Eden Gardens backs right on to the site.

He said: “The turbines will be right outside our house. There will be nothing between us and them.

“Flamborough lighthouse is only three feet taller.

“I have never known turbines to be so close to a village centre before.”

Mr McLean is also concerned about the wider impact of the scheme.

He said: “We are worried about the proliferation of these turbines and new ones seem to pop up on an almost daily basis. People round here feel they have already done their bit with the Lissett wind farm.

“Also, more people will want to visit the area on the back of David Hockney’s new exhibition at the Royal Academy in London.

“These turbines are depressing for tourism and we should be protecting the area.”

But Myriad CEG, agent for the owners, claims the site has been chosen with a lot of consideration.

In the application, the agent said: “The site has been chosen carefully to ensure it can be absorbed by the local landscape and is inconspicuous in the landscape from most viewpoints.

“The turbines have been sited to minimise the impact on this rural location, while optimising the potential energy production of the installation.

“The design, scale, form and appearance has been selected to ensure that the construction and operation on the proposed site will not be intrusive on the landscape, and are far outweighed by the economic, social and environmental benefits.”

Bempton Parish Council is holding a meeting tomorrow at Bempton school, from 7pm, and residents are urged to attend.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/04/fury-over-turbines-as-tall-as-lighthouse/