February 3, 2012
Editorials, England

Stand up for environment – say no to wind power

Western Morning News, www.thisisdevon.co.uk 2 February 2012

We strongly support the all-party group of MPs quoted in your article “MPs call on Cameron to re-examine regulations for onshore wind farms” who are calling for the government to fundamentally review its support (through subsidy) for wind turbines, which they describe as inefficient, costly, and doing more harm than good.

This timely recognition of the true nature of this over-hyped technology may possibly come just in time to save parts of Cornwall’s beautiful and extraordinary landscape from being ruined by the forest of wind turbines that otherwise threatens to march across the whole county.

There are currently already 500 wind turbines either consented or in the pipeline in Cornwall alone.

We call upon Cornwall Council to recognise that wind turbines are no longer seen as the best way of providing green energy, and to refuse consent for them whenever possible.

They should recognise that turbines bring rich financial benefits to individual landowners while causing enormous detriment to the wider public, who bear the cost through electricity charges and taxes.

Instead, the Council should encourage the use of other sources of renewable energy whenever possible.

Hardly any mention is made of the damage that the spread of wind turbines at the present rate would cause to tourism, which is the most important source of income for Cornwall, generating some £2 billion a year.

Not many people will pay to stay in a Cornish B & B, hotel or self-catering cottage just to look out of their window at a turbine – still less to hear it. The planning laws allow the Council discretion in deciding the balance between putting up wind turbines and protecting the heritage landscape.

Too often the Council pays lip service to protecting beautiful views and beautiful buildings, but when it comes to decision time leans over backwards to favour wind turbines.

What is the point of having Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Great Landscape Value if developers are still free to stick up turbines in or near those areas?

Once it is gone, we will never get it back again.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/03/stand-up-for-environment-say-no-to-wind-power/