March 14, 2012
Wales

Family joins fight to block turbine

Llanelli Star, www.thisissouthwales.co.uk 14 March 2012

A family from the Gwendraeth Valley has joined the fight against plans for a wind turbine in Pinged, claiming it will have a direct impact on their lives.

Jonty Hay, of Hay Farms, has requested planning permission to place the 48-metre structure at Poplar Tree Farm in Pinged.

Since the application was submitted to Carmarthenshire Council, there has been mounting opposition to the scheme.

Dave Staunton, who owns a small-holding for horses, chickens and ducks in the area, says he lives just off the 500-metre boundary to the potential development.

Deaf

“Two of my four children who are aged 11 and 15 are deaf – one with a cochlear hearing aid and one with a hearing aid,” he said.

A cochlear implant is a surgically-implanted electronic device giving a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing.

Mr Staunton pointed out that wind turbines gave off a low-frequency noise and said he feared it could interfere with hearing devices.

He added: “There would also be a magnetic force from the turbine and the apparatus for the hearing aid has a magnet – it means that when they are outside, my children would have to take their hearing aids out, and because of that they could possibly be in danger, which worries you as a parent.”

The resident added that those living near the turbine would have their houses devalued and could lose money as a result.

“You work hard to get on the property ladder and the last thing you want is for this to happen,” said Mr Staunton.

“Nearly everyone in the area is up in arms about these plans.

“I would like to see the application completely thrown out.

Opposition

“There is nobody showing me that it is not going to affect our lives, so we therefore have to oppose it.”

The planned 80kW turbine is twin bladed, with a hub height of 39 metres and blade length of nine metres, and could be less than 500 metres from some homes.

Such is the level of opposition that it is thought to be one of the first times all three surrounding community councils – Trimsaran, Burry Port and Kidwelly – have united to vote against the plans.

At the latest Kidwelly Town Council meeting, Byron Huws told councillors: “It is an absurd place to put a wind turbine.

“These things are heavily subsidised, they save very little money and I, for one, am totally against the plans.”

Councillor Jean Lane added: “If one sets up, there may be many more and they will be everywhere you look.”

Nobody at Hay Farms was available for comment.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/14/family-joins-fight-to-block-turbine/