May 9, 2014
England

Wind turbine proposal in Ravensden is ‘unacceptable’ to residents

Written by JULIA SUTTON | Bedfordshire Newspaper Online | 09/05/2014 | www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk

Proposals for a 78 metre high wind turbine have put villagers in a spin.

A planning application for the structure at Sunderland Hill in Ravensden has been submitted to Bedford Borough Council for consideration.

The 500 kw turbine has already elicited 169 public comments on the council website while residents in Ravensden are set to hold a public meeting on May 16 to discuss the issue.

Mike Hudson, a Ravensden online community organiser, said: “This is the least appropriate place for a turbine in the whole of Bedfordshire: on the crest of one of its highest hills in a panorama of fields and grazing cattle, it would stand out like a sore thumb up to 15 miles away.

“Our community made its opposition to this very clear over a year ago but a single local land owner and speculators seem determined to profit at the expense of our quality of life.

“This single turbine is itself completely unacceptable to us but worse, if allowed, would likely swiftly lead to us being surrounded by a host of them.”

The proposed site is currently vacant and is west of the landmark water tower on the B660.

The application states that the renewable energy generated would also be exported onto the national grid network for distribution to the local area.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/05/09/wind-turbine-proposal-in-ravensden-is-unacceptable-to-residents/