March 14, 2012
England

Villagers fight plan for £22m windfarm

Shropshire Star, www.shropshirestar.com 12 March 2012

More than 130 villagers have objected to plans for a £22 million windfarm near Shrewsbury, with two more public meetings in the pipeline.

Residents and councillors have vowed to fight the plans ‘tooth and nail’ which has seen an initial application lodged by EDF Energy Renewables for a 70m high meteorological mast to monitor wind conditions ahead of the overall scheme. But 131 people have now voiced their opposition.

They claim both proposals, which could eventually see eight giant wind turbines built between Minsterley and Worthen, would destroy the countryside landscape and hit house prices.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne plans to arrange a meeting by the end of March and Shrewsbury & Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski is expected to call a public meeting at Minsterley Village Hall during the Easter holidays.

Letters expressing the concern in the community have been sent to landowners involved with plans to host the Aston Brook windfarm. Acton Piggott villager Adam Gornall said negotiations were under way in an attempt to get the landowners to withdraw.

Shropshire councillor Heather Kidd said: “I am absolutely appalled. First the pylons and now this.

“I am absolutely opposed to this and will fight it tooth and nail. The community will fight this every step of the way. They have already started by writing their letters of objection to the test mast.”

Objector Pam Martin said: “As the proposed mast is very large it would be a prominent structure viewed from the B4386. It would inevitably have a certain amount of ‘flicker’ as the measures revolve, especially is strong sunlight.

“This is adjacent to an area on the road, which is an accident blackspot. This mast would be distracting to drivers and as such would be danger for traffic.”

Applicants expect to lodge plans for the windfarm later this year, and say it could help power thousands of local homes. The turbines would be 127m (416ft) in height and be linked to the National Grid.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/14/villagers-fight-plan-for-22m-windfarm/