October 19, 2012
England

Villagers gearing up for fight to blow wind power out of picture

Tamworth Herald | October 19, 2012 | www.thisistamworth.co.uk

Angry villagers are preparing to fight proposals which could see a 79-metre high wind turbine installed on land at Appleby Parva.

One Wind Renewables want to erect the turbine on land at Elms Farm, but residents living in surrounding villages say the installation of the turbine will dominate the skyline.

Among those protesting against the application is Richard Meredith, Warton councillor and former Liberal Democrat mayor of North Warwickshire.

He told the Herald: “I had always thought that wind farms were ‘green energy’ and therefore highly to be desired in this age when we are trying to lower carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. I now know this to be dramatically not so. When the wind doesn’t blow in this area (80 per cent of the time) our electricity comes from existing power stations, many of which would be working under their efficiency and therefore producing immense amounts of carbon dioxide and consuming extra fuel.

“The cost to us, as taxpayers, of this grossly subsidised system cannot be justified. We must find other ways of generating electricity, such as ultra-modern gas turbines and wave and water power.”

Local protest group SSWAT (Stop Subsidised Windfarms Around Tamworth) have delivered hundreds of leaflets to local homes in the area, urging householders to have their say on the plans which, the group claim, will set a precedent for other wind farm developments in the area. They have also urged residents to write to their local MP.

The application is to be considered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Comments on the application must be submitted by October 26, 2012.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/19/villagers-gearing-up-for-fight-to-blow-wind-power-out-of-picture/