August 15, 2012
England

Blimp flown in protest to wind turbine plans

Melton Times | www.meltontimes.co.uk 15 August 2012

Villagers fighting plans to erect two wind turbines in Thorpe Satchville have flown a blimp to demonstrate how tall they would be.

Melton Council’s development committee will meet this afternoon (Thursday) to decide whether to permit the proposals for a 77m high turbine at Park Farm, to the north of the village, and a 46m high turbine on land at nearby Hall Farm. The farms, in Klondyke Lane, are almost opposite each other.

Worried villagers, who claim they only found about the applications at the eleventh hour, set up the campaign group ThorpeSayNo at short notice.

And on Tuesday, before committee members made a site visit to both farms, a blimp was flown to show how tall the turbines would be.

Anna Freij, a member of ThorpeSayNo, said: “We support better forms of energy generation – in the right place. These two wind turbines are too big and too close to people’s homes and will have a detrimental impact on our beautiful countryside.

“Do we want to be the rural capital of food in the heart of rural England or do we want to rip that heart out and scar our best countryside with industrial machinery?”

More than 30 households have objected to the turbine applications. Concerns include visual and noise impact, impact on residential properties and on local wildlife.

The council has also received 15 letters supporting the applications.

Melton Council’s development committee has been recommended to approve both applications, subject to conditions.

The developers behind the Park Farm turbine, Pure Renewable Energy Limited, estimate it will generate enough electricity to power about 372 homes – greater than the combined number of homes in Thorpe Satchville and Great Dalby.

The agents on behalf of the Hall Farm turbine, Aardvark EM Limited, predict it will generate an annual power supply equivalent to 40 average homes.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/15/blimp-flown-in-protest-to-wind-turbine-plans/