March 8, 2012
Wales

Prince of Wales asked to oppose “monster” wind turbines on Anglesey

by Owen R Hughes, DPW West, www.dailypost.co.uk 7 March 2012

The Prince of Wales has been asked to support a campaign to protect rural Anglesey from “monster” turbines that threaten to damage its thriving tourism industry.

Owners of the Anglesey Sea Zoo, Dylan and Frankie Evans, are the latest to voice their concern over the proliferation of turbine applications on the island.

They warn it could lead to “job losses at a massive scale” on Anglesey, where tourism pumps more than £230m into the economy and employs nearly one in six, either directly or indirectly.

The former university researchers spoke out after spending months assessing the costs and benefits of large single turbines – and were “dumbfounded” by their findings.

Dylan, who bought the zoo near Brynsiencyn in 2007, has written to Clarence House to enlist the support of Prince Charles. He said: “We know his commitment to sustainable communities and the countryside and he knows Anglesey well. We hope he’ll offer his support.”

Applications for giant turbines – some as tall as 115 metres – across the island have triggered a massive public backlash over fears they will destroy the landscape.

Dylan said: “We didn’t want to have a knee jerk ‘not in my back yard’, reaction. But after looking into the benefits against the costs, I was dumbfounded by the lack of studies and research. Solar is much more efficient – with wind turbines the research is not there.”

Frankie added that there was a lack of research on potential side effects on human health and bio-diversity.

It was the concern of having no tangible benefits while damaging tourism and quality of life that led them to become involved in the campaign against turbines. Frankie said: “We come from a position of supporting renewables and sustainability and at the sea zoo we have taken steps to reduce our power use.

“I also support windfarms in the correct location, but these large single turbines will cause huge disruption and problems while there is no evidence they are efficient ways to produce electricity.”

There is an application for three 65m turbines close to the sea zoo, which last year attracted nearly 100,000 visitors.

Dylan added: “If there was some sort of community benefit then maybe some would support the turbines. But as it is the turbines will benefit the few and harm the masses.”

He added: “A lot of individuals have invested a lot of money into building up tourism with the support of the council. Putting up theses turbines would be a huge backward step for the industry. Anglesey cannot afford to be used as an experiment – it is seen as an island escape but that could be lost.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/08/prince-of-wales-asked-to-oppose-monster-wind-turbines-on-anglesey/