February 15, 2012
England

Suffolk MPs sign windfarm protest

Bury Free Press, www.buryfreepress.co.uk 15 February 2012

Three Suffolk MPs are among the 106 from all parties to sign a letter calling for a rethink on windfarms.

Bury’s David Ruffley, West Suffolk’s Matthew Hancock and Central Suffolk’s Dan Poulter signed the letter to David Cameron expressing concern at how Government supports on-shore windfarms.

The letter says they think it is ‘unwise to make consumers pay, through taxpayer subsidy, for inefficient and intermittent energy production’.

They are also worried that the new National Planning Policy Framework, in its current form, reduces the chances of defeating applications for unwanted farms.

The letter adds that planning appeals approving turbines by saying renewable energy targets were more important than planning considerations made defeating them ‘impossible’.

Supporting the letter, Mr Ruffley said: “Past wind turbine proposals at Wyverstone have threatened the peace and tranquillity of the area. A large amount of local natural heritage is at stake and it is crucial that any proposals are assessed thoroughly so that areas of unspoilt natural beauty are preserved. We must not jeopardise our environment.”

Mr Hancock said: “In Suffolk we have some spectacular countryside and some areas without much wind. We should not damage our beautiful natural environment in our attempts to reduce carbon emissions.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/15/suffolk-mps-sign-windfarm-protest/