May 23, 2012
England

Public meeting over Church’s turbine plans

Western Morning News, www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk 23 May 2012

Villagers are seeing red over the Church’s drive to bolster its green credentials by building turbines in three rural communities.

A public meeting will be held at the church hall in Chittlehampton, North Devon, at 7.30pm tonight, to discuss plans to build two 25-metre turbines on farmland. The Archdeacon of Totnes will attend on behalf of the Diocese.

A meeting has already been held to discuss similar plans in Black Torrington, and East Anstey residents will meet at the community hall on Oldways End at 7.45pm on Monday.

Residents are fuming that they have not been properly consulted by the church, with one saying the news was a “bolt from the blue”.

Yesterday, Chittlehampton parish clerk Rose Warren said the council had not yet formed a view. But she said she had received letters and emails from people with strong views on the subject. “None of the emails I have received have been for it,” she said. “People are concerned that it’s so close to the village. The nearest home is 200 yards away, and people don’t think the turbines are worth it.”

Martyn Goss, the Diocese of Exeter’s director of church and society, said concerns were being taken “very seriously at a senior level”, but said the Diocese would have to be “bold” to reach its target of reducing its carbon footprint by 80 per cent by 2050.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/05/23/public-meeting-over-churchs-turbine-plans/