Launch of National Opposition to Windfarms and charter 

A national body opposing windfarms will be launched in London on Thursday 19th April with supporting events being held around the UK, including at Cumbria County Council offices, Kendal, LA9 4RQ.

Representatives and supporters of wind turbine opposition groups from across Cumbria will be attending County Council offices at Busher Walk, Kendal at 9.30 am on Thursday 19th April to ask Councillors to restate their opposition to wind farms.

As public opposition to wind energy grows, the need has arisen for a national body to focus this opposition. National Opposition to Windfarms is to be launched at the Palace of Westminster on April 19th 2012, hosted by eminent lawyer and politician Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE QC.

Locally, we aim to show that the more people are affected by turbines – including the proposals, applications and Public Inquiries – the more public opposition there is to them. By opposing wind turbines, Councillors are reflecting the wishes of the population as well as protecting the landscape, livelihoods, the tourist economy and the right to enjoy our homes.

Marion Fitzgerald of FORCE says “Allerdale Council alone has already received nearly 30 wind-related planning applications this year. We are seeing a frightening increase in single-turbine applications but most of these are well over the DECC definition of small scale, typically ranging from 15 to 80m in height! If applications like these are granted they too will contribute greatly to an overall cumulative effect which is set to ruin our countryside, local amenity and tourist economy.”

Dr Mike Hall is concerned at the pace of destruction of much of rural Britain, both onshore and offshore as well as the “plague of single medium sized turbines which are being mis-sold to farmers in ways bordering on fraud. Such tactics, the stock in trade of the wind energy industry, must stop.”

In 2008, Cumbria County Council adopted a Motion recording “grave concerns that the current targets for onshore wind-generated energy ride roughshod over the capacity of our landscapes … to satisfactorily accommodate further windfarms’.

It went on to say that Cumbria’s environment is a key asset for the County’s economic well-being. The Council therefore believed that a proliferation of windfarms would undermine efforts to address the County’s economic problems.”

Representatives of opposition groups will be available for interview at Kendal from 9 am.

From Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE QC. “Today we see the launch of a nationally co-ordinated campaign against the industrialisation of our treasured and best landscapes. Government should not doubt our determination and commitment.”

FACTS:

Over 30 major wind energy schemes consisting of over 130 turbines have already been consented to in Cumbria.

A further 45 major wind energy schemes, consisting of well over 300 turbines have been proposed.

Over 15 opposition groups in Cumbria, representing thousands of people have been set up to combat turbines.

The dismay and helplessness felt by supporters of these groups is replicated in groups throughout rural England, Wales and Scotland.

Groups across the UK are linked with opposition groups protecting their landscape heritage across Europe, the United States and Australia.