January 14, 2014
England

Wind turbine would ruin Derbyshire village, claim residents

By Isaac Crowson | Derby Telegraph | January 14, 2014 | www.derbytelegraph.co.uk

Plans to build a wind turbine in a Derbyshire village have met with opposition from residents.

An application has been submitted to Erewash Borough Council for the 77-metre structure in No Mans Lane, Risley, which would produce 500 kilowatts of electricity.

Stephen Brown, 55, who lives at nearby Lodge Farm, described the plans as a “nightmare”.

He said: “It’s right on my doorstep and I really don’t like it. It’s going to be in the middle of a really nice field surrounded by countryside that will be spoiled.

“It will be very noisy and will affect the wildlife in the area.

“I’ve lived here for 50 years and this is the worst thing to happen in that time.”

Reg Slater, 80, who has lived in the village for 11 years, is also opposed to the application.

He said: “If one turbine goes up then there could be a lot more and I am dead against it.

“I don’t think they have been proven to solve any energy problems and it will be ugly.

“We live in a nice little village and I don’t want it to ruin the skyline.

“It will be the worst thing in the village.”

Sydney Leleux, 65, is a member of Risley Parish Council and said 40 residents who attended a meeting last week were all in opposition to the plans.

The 65-year-old said: “The turbines will create upheaval during their construction and will be visible from a wide area. A lot of wildlife will also be disturbed when they are being built.

“The people at the meeting that were against it were not very happy.”

Stephen Bate, planning manager at Hallmark Power, defended the application.

He said the turbine would meet government guidelines regarding noise and its effect on wildlife.

“In terms of wildlife, an independent ecological survey has taken place which has assessed habitats and woodland” said Mr Bate.

“Issues such as landscape and the visual impact are always disputed with turbines.

“Local residents and councillors may have a different view.”

These applications come after work was completed last month on two turbines in Spondon.

According to Severn Trent, the structures will produce about 10,000 megawatts of electricity, which is the equivalent of supplying around 3,000 homes with power.

The turbines, situated off Megaloughton Lane, have met with a mixture of approval and anger from locals.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/01/14/wind-turbine-would-ruin-derbyshire-village-claim-residents/