January 9, 2013
England

Secret Millionaire giving farmers the Greene light

9 January 2013 | www.spaldingtoday.co.uk

TV Secret Millionaire Mike Greene is offering his financial expertise to tenant farmers in the Crowland area who are fighting to save their livelihoods and land for future generations.

Newborough Landscape Protection group is preparing to object to Peterborough City Council’s 25-year plan to erect half a million solar power panels and nine giant wind turbines over 900 acres of prime agricultural land.

The council claims the plans will save its 175,000 or so residents up to £100 a year on their energy bills at a lifetime cost of around £331  million. Councillors have already spent £500,000 preparing the plans and they are due to go before the planning committee in March.

Mr Greene, CEO of a multi-million pound retail consultancy who lives in Dowsdale Bank near Crowland, said: “I’m not against solar panels per se, but with a return of 0.82 per cent over 25 years, no investor would look at the plans – it’s laughable.

“I am able to make some noise about it and I will.”

Residents have until February 1 to lodge an objection.

One of the tenants, John Harris, farms 250 acres at Lodge Farm in Black Drove, Thorney, with his son, Ross.

He said: “I’m 59 and I’ve been lucky to farm all my life.

“We are doing this for the young farmers who need these smallholdings to get started.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/09/secret-millionaire-giving-farmers-the-greene-light/