June 18, 2012
Wales

Village wind farm protest march: Anglesey Against Wind Turbines protest at Llanddona

BBC News, www.bbc.co.uk 17 June 2012

Up to 300 people have turned out for a protest march against wind farms on Anglesey.

Campaign group Anglesey Against Wind Turbines says there are plans for two “industrial scale” wind turbine on the edge of the village of Llanddona.

It is not the first time for the group to protest against wind farm plans on the island.

Previously Anglesey council has said it fully understands the concerns, but supports the principle of wind energy.

On Sunday people were urged to “register your protest and help keep Llanddona a turbine-free zone”.

Rhian Hughes, from the group, said members had been raising concerns about wind farm plans for more than a year.

“We feel no-one is listening to us,” she said. “It’s not just people from Llanddona here today, it’s people from all over the island, Gwynedd and even beyond.”

Ms Hughes questioned the efficiency of wind turbines. She said they changed the landscape and would create job losses, rather than job gains, as they spoilt an area for tourism.

“The size of the turbines is incredible. I put my hand up and admit I am a nimby (not in my back yard) because I don’t want them here, but then I don’t want them anywhere else either,” she added.

Last October, when the group said a proliferation of wind farms could ‘blight’ the island, Anglesey council said it fully understood concerns regarding the number of planning applications for turbines.

But it said it supported wind energy in principle “in the same vein as it supports other low carbon micro generation technology developments”.

“Planning applications for wind turbines are dealt with on their individual merits,” it said.

This would take into account any planning policies and include Welsh government guidance.

“Scale, location, numbers, noise visual/cumulative impact, shadow flicker are among factors which are taken into consideration,” it added.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/18/village-wind-farm-protest-march-anglesey-against-wind-turbines-protest-at-llanddona/