October 30, 2012
England

More than 250 from Marsh villages and Humberston join forces in Tetney to fight wind farm extension

Grimbsy Telegraph | October 30, 2012 | www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk

The war against the wind turbine invasion has begun.

More than 250 locals from across the Marsh villages and Humberston piled into Tetney Village Hall and united against the “industrialisation” of Lincolnshire’s idyllic countryside.

Led by avid anti-wind farm campaigner Melvin Grosvenor and backed by Louth and Horncastle MP Sir Peter Tapsell, they have formed the Marsh Wind Farm Action Group.

And their first battle is to stop eight 105-metre high wind turbines being erected on Bishopthorpe Farm, off Newton Marsh Lane, in Tetney.

The owners of Thorpe Park, Bourne Leisure, also back the campaign, fearing it will cost the local economy thousands in lost tourism trade because holidaymakers will be put off by the turbines – which will be just 950 metres away.

Mr Grosvenor – who has led numerous campaigns in Lincolnshire – said: “We are facing an industrial turbine invasion.

“We are hostages to planning inspectors and ridiculously flawed government policies which are promoting flawed technology.

“As a local community, we must stand together.

“People power can work. We have everything to play for.”

As reported, energy company ASC wants to build the Newton Marsh Wind Farm Extension – so-called because it will adjoin two 115-metre turbines owned by Anglian Water, due to be built in a matter of weeks – on land at Bishopthorpe Farm owned by local farmer, William Dawson. They will be 20 metres higher than Grimsby’s Dock Tower.

The farm is 950 metres away from the Humberston Fitties and Thorpe Park, but both claim they were not told about it until recently.

There are also plans to build three 113-metre high wind turbines along Louth Canal, in Fen Lane, North Thoresby.

Environmental impact assessments (EIA) are being carried out for two 36-metre high turbines in Main Road, Grainthorpe, two 35-metre high turbines on Donna Nook Road, North Somercotes, and three 45-metre turbines near Outholme Lane, Tetney, as reported.

If new government proposals are implemented, from the Newton Marsh farm alone, East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) would get an estimated £250,000 a year for the 25-year project in business rates. Currently business rates are paid to central government.

Conservative MP Sir Peter, pictured, pledged his support – but urged campaigners not to blame landowners, who stand to earn money from developers and are paid subsidies by central government, because arable farming is becoming increasingly harder to make a living from.

He said: “I am absolutely against it on every possible ground. They ruin our breathtakingly beautiful countryside.

“The people who are for these wind farms call themselves environmentalists but nothing damages our environment more than a line of these ghastly turbines.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/30/more-than-250-from-marsh-villages-and-humberston-join-forces-in-tetney-to-fight-wind-farm-extension/