November 1, 2013
England

Turbine protesters try to harness opinion with horse display

Amy Smith | Eastern Daily Press | November 1, 2013 | www.edp24.co.uk

Protesters against an application to build a 125m high wind turbine in Barsham, near Beccles, arrived at the final day of the public inquiry in a horse-drawn carriage.

Julia Kitchen, who runs N & J Horse Drawn Carriages from her home in Barsham next to where the turbine would be built, told the inquiry her Shire and Clydesdale horses would be spooked by the moving shadows and high pitch noises created by the turbine, which could make them unpredictable and a danger to both her handlers and customers.

She hoped that by taking two of her horses to the final day of the inquiry at Ilketshall St Andrew Village Hall yesterday, it would show just how important her horses are.

The public inquiry, which was launched in Ditchingham on October 15 and adjourned on October 18, was opened again on Wednesday to give each party more time to present their evidence.

The inquiry was called after Waveney District Council refused Stamford Renewables’ application to build the 2MW turbine on land at Laurels Farm in March on noise and visual impact grounds. However Stamford Renewables appealed the decision, stating at the inquiry that the landscape surrounding the site was not more special or noteworthy than other landscapes in which turbines of the same size have been built, and yesterday government inspector Robert Mellor was due to close the inquiry before going away to make a decision.

Speaking after the inquiry, Mrs Kitchen said: “All five of my horses graze 750 metres away from where the turbine would be built. Horses pick up on high and low frequencies and the turbine would be a high frequency to them which would be like having constant tinnitus.

“They are very well behaved horses, they are comfortable in their surroundings and happy, but 99 per cent of the time a horse is scared of its shadow never mind a flickering shadow.

“I work with them in the public so they have to be as good as a horse can be. This is my livelihood and my business at stake.”

Evidence from Stamford Renewables, Waveney District Council and Residents’ opposition group HALT was presented at the inquiry and a decision is expected in the next few weeks.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/11/01/turbine-protesters-try-to-harness-opinion-with-horse-display/