October 8, 2012
England

Calls for map of East Yorkshire’s wind turbines

Hull Daily Mail | www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk 8 October 2012

Campaigners are calling for a detailed map showing the location of every wind turbine in the East Riding.

East Riding Council’s planning committee do not see others in the area that have already been approved when they consider further applications.

Campaigners say if they did have access to such a map, the effect of turbines on the landscape would be more visible.

David Hinde, who campaigns against East Riding wind farms, said: “We should be having maps of all the turbines in the area so people can see what has been approved.

“It would strengthen the councillors’ views on landscape and heritage if they had these maps.”

Councillor Chad Chadwick raised the issue at a planning meeting.

He said: “We asked if we could have dots on a map so we could check out how many turbines would be in an area.

“We didn’t get a conclusion but officers should probably come back to the next committee with a map or an explanation. I think it can be helpful, which is why I brought it up.”

At the moment, many turbines are not built because the Ministry of Defence (MoD) believes they could interfere with a radar at Staxton Wold, near Bridlington.

But a new system aimed at reducing their effect is to be tested at the site in July.

If it is successful, defence chiefs could drop their objections.

Campaigners believe the only way to prevent hundreds of turbines springing up would then be to show their effect on the countryside.

Mr Hinde said: “Council officers seem quite happy at playing this game of rejecting turbines on MoD grounds only.

“We need not to rely just on the MoD protecting our landscape.”

Other protesters added their voices to Mr Hinde’s.

Steve Hey, chairman of the No To Wolds Wind Farm Group, believes a map should be available to the public.

He said: “People are getting a lot of turbines dropped in their villages and it would be handy to have a single resource.”

George Hornsey fights wind farms in the Wolds and said it was “crazy” the information was not already available to councillors.

Mr Hornsey said: “They have to assess cumulative impact for consented, planned and proposed turbines.

“How on earth can they do that if there is not a joined-up map of where they all are?

“I think it’s a crazy situation if the information is not available to make these decisions.”

Councillor Jane Evison, ward member for East Wolds and Coastal, has raised constituents’ concerns about wind farms in the past.

She said: “I think our planning committee is well aware of the permissions they are giving for turbines but I think a map is something we certainly can discuss.

“If the committee thinks it is something that would be useful for them I would support that.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/08/calls-for-map-of-east-yorkshires-wind-turbines/