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‘If we aren’t careful, turbines will take over the countryside’: Storm of protest over plans near Redcar
Credit: By Dave Robson | Evening Gazette | 19 Nov 2013 | www.gazettelive.co.uk ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
A storm of protest is brewing over plans to put wind turbines on land near Redcar.
Airvolution Energy Limited wants to put two wind turbines off the A174 between Wilton and Yearby.
And in a separate scheme for the other end of the village, Cirrus Energy has applied to put a single wind turbine on land near Turner’s Arms Farm.
But the plans have angered some locals, who have vowed to oppose both schemes.
Airvolution says it is “investigating the suitability” of the site and is inviting locals to discuss the plans at a community information day at Lazenby Village Hall on Wednesday, November 27, from 1pm-4pm. The company estimates the site is suitable for two wind turbines, a maximum of 140m in height to blade tip – 14m taller than those in Redcar’s offshore wind farm.
The Cirrus Energy turbine – for which a planning application is already in – will be 78m to blade tip and generate about 1,197MWh of low carbon electricity a year.
That’s enough, the company says, to “supply the equivalent of approximately 340 homes in the Redcar and Cleveland borough.”
But Vic Wood, 70, a Yearby resident for 28 years, said: “We are going to be hemmed in. If we don’t stop this, you could see these damn things stretching from Ormesby Bank to Saltburn. It’s getting out of control.”
Mr Wood said he feared the Redcar land was being used because turbines can’t be put further south in the National Park.
He added: “It’s highly debatable as to whether these things are value for money. They are to the energy companies and landowners, of course, but are they to the community?
“At our meeting the other day, we had people from Dunsdale, New Marske, Guisborough – lots of communities feel strongly about this.
“If we aren’t careful, turbines will take over the countryside. They are going to dominate our skyline.
“We aren’t being Nimbys – it’s about taking a stand not just for our community, but for communities like us across the country.”
The objectors say they welcome support from Redcar Lib Dem MP Ian Swales and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop.
Mr Swales said: “These developments are completely inappropriate in that they are much too close to conservation villages such as Wilton, Yearby and Kirkleatham and sit right on the green wedge to the south of Redcar.
Given the industrial backdrop to the west of the constituency, this green space is of great importance to local people and must be protected.”
Cirrus says its turbine “would be located in a suitable location for the scale of development proposed.” The application can be viewed on the borough council website.
Airvolution says that under its community benefit fund, its scheme would provide at least £20,000 a year for local causes. For more details, visit www.wilton-wind.co.uk
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