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West Huntspill Wind Farm campaigners to launch second blimp
Credit: By Kirsty James | 3rd May 2013 | www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
Campaigners against plans for a wind farm in West Huntspill will be launching a 400ft high blimp on Saturday (May 4) to demonstrate the turbine height.
An application by Ecotricity for four turbines on land south of Poplar Farm, known as Black Ditch, was rejected by Sedgemoor District Council’s planning committee last April.
But Ecotricity, also known as Next Generation, appealed against the decision and the second half of a public inquiry, run by the Planning Inspectorate, will recommence next Tuesday (May 7).
Members of the No Huntspill Wind Farm action group are releasing the blimp to encourage people to attend the inquiry, which was postponed due to an unexpected bereavement of a close relative of one party’s witness.
The group launched a blimp covering the first part of the inquiry, and hopes to launch one again on Saturday by 9am for eight days – showing the peak height of the proposed turbines at Emerald Pool Fisheries, near where the development would be built.
Julie Trott, communications officer for the action group, told the Weekly News: “In flying the blimp we can emphasise the towering height these industrial-sized wind turbines will be, dominating homes in close proximity and the local landscape for miles around due to the flat character of the Somerset Levels.
“This is our last chance to stop these monstrosities despoiling ‘our’ landscape and the residential amenity that we currently enjoy.”
But an Ecotricity spokesman said the firm is still confident Black Ditch is an appropriate site for the four proposed wind turbines.
He added: “The Council’s own Planning Officer recommended the plans for approval and, while the application was rejected by the Planning Committee, some of the Council’s principal reasons for opposing the scheme have either been addressed through mitigation measures or are no longer valid.
“We are therefore optimistic that the final session of the Public Inquiry will find that, after several years of detailed environmental assessments, we have identified a highly appropriate location for renewable energy.”
The public inquiry will resume on Tuesday (May 7) at the Princess Hall, Burnham, from 10am onwards and will discuss landscape.
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