April 5, 2012
England

Gales damage windfarm test mast near Saltburn

by Laura Woodcock, Evening Gazette, www.gazettelive.co.uk 5 April 2012

A monitoring mast for a windfarm proposal got more than it bargained for when it keeled over … in the strong winds.

The 60metre test mast is currently monitoring conditions at a site between Marske and Saltburn.

As previously reported, if the application and testing period is successful, four wind turbines would be erected on land between Marske Road and Hob Hill Lane, close to Saltburn.

Residents from Marske and Saltburn have joined forces to try to stop the turbines going up.

They are now hoping the damaged mast will prove the conditions at the site are not ideal.

Adrian Beadnell, whose Wilton Bank home would overlook the turbines, said: “The monitoring mast has been up for about three weeks to test the air pressure.

“Obviously they want ideal conditions – so not too calm, but too windy wouldn’t be good either.

“Hopefully the fact that this has happened may mean this site is not ideal.”

The 56-year-old added: “I looked out of our window and saw the test mast was all crooked and knocked out of shape.

“It is like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.”

Residents have been meeting up regularly to fight the proposals and are even fundraising for a possible legal battle involving Knight Frank, the agent acting on behalf of the site for the West Midland Metropolitan Authority Pension Fund.

Saltburn resident Janet De Sancho said: “We get extreme weather like this all the time. It is just so close to homes and traffic. Potentially it could be very dangerous.

“Who knows when it will get repaired but if we get weather like it again it could break off.”

Mr Beadnell, who has lived on Wilton Bank for 20 years, said: “Our whole rear view would be engulfed by these turbines.

“I think the closest one would be about 900m away but we are not only worried about our view, we are also worried about health and safety.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/04/05/gales-damage-windfarm-test-mast-near-saltburn/