February 2, 2015
Scotland

TV dream home could become nightmare because of wind turbines

By David Kerr | The Press and Journal | 2 February 2015 | www.pressandjournal.co.uk

A star of a TV restoration programme has said his dream home could become a nightmare if wind turbines are built on his doorstep.

Justin Hooper and wife Charlotte Seddon have been restoring the derelict control tower at Fearn airfield in Easter Ross where torpedo bomber crews trained during World War II.

But now he fears their plans could be marred if four 393ft turbines are built on fields in front of the tower they are converting to be a family home after buying the red brick building in 2012.

Mr Hooper has said that the turbines would “destroy the view” from his new home HMS Owl, named after the wartime name of the Royal Navy base.

The refurbishment of the wartime control tower was featured recently on Channel Four programme Restoration Man, with presenter George Clarke charting progress of the job and meeting the couple’s two daughters.

Mr Hooper has said he is not against windfarms or renewable energy – but said they should be built offshore or further away from residential properties.

He said: “The house has been a labour of love and somewhere for my family to live.

“It’s not been built as a business venture. I’m not going to make any money out of it.

“This windfarm will just be business. As far as I’m concerned it’s just the business of ruining everybody’s views.”

He added: “The main draw of the building was the views. You can see from the design that there’s windows everywhere to make the most of that and we didn’t expect to be looking out at wind turbines.”

London based Mr Hooper has no intention of abandoning his dream home even if the turbines are given permission as he has put so much into the project.

Mr Hooper said that the nearest turbine could be only 0.4 miles from the house.

The windfarm is being handled by consultant Energy Workshop on behalf of the farmer landowner.

A scoping application has been submitted and Energy Workshop said that design work was ongoing and that a full application would be made in due course.

Consultant Toby Coke said: “We haven’t fixed the design for it yet and a formal application has not been made.

“We have been in contact with Mr Hooper who as the owner of the control tower is one of the nearest properties to the development. We will consult fully as part of the planning process.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/02/02/tv-dream-home-could-become-nightmare-because-of-wind-turbines/