Wind of change is ruffling the locals
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is in favour of renewable energy and wind turbines but is cautious about the change to planning law.
A CPRE spokeswoman said: “While welcoming renewable energy, the CPRE has serious concerns.
“If the beauty of the countryside isn’t protected, it’s a free for all.
“We are concerned that the proposals for wind turbines on farmland don’t offer enough protection for World Heritage sites and National Parks and other important landscapes.
“It is vital that local authorities are involved in decisions about where turbines are installed, and their design.
“We need tough rules so that permitted development isn’t allowed to become a nuisance, and what must be safeguarded are issues like noise levels, size, location and the potential impact on the tranquillity and beauty of the countryside.”
Paul Miner, the CPRE’s senior planning officer, added: “We welcome this, but we would want to see local authorities have the power to control siting and design of small wind turbines in sensitive areas of countryside, so that they could be sited with minimum landscape impact.”
However the BWEA, the professional body for UK wind and renewable industries, said residents should look at the wider benefits of wind farm schemes.
Spokesman Nick Medic said: “As studies have shown, most recently from Ofgem, not investing in renewable energy now could leave us scrambling for expensive fossil fuels in the future, thus pushing up energy bills. In terms of jobs, we could be looking at more then a ten-fold increase from around 5,000 direct jobs today to 60,000 in 2020.
“Finally with wind energy we will be decreasing our dependence on foreign energy imports.
“Public opinion surveys consistently show that 80 per cent of people in the UK are in favour of wind energy with only seven per cent directly opposed. Those who do, tend to oppose them on aesthetic grounds.
“We are urging opponents of wind to consider the wider public and global benefits of more renewables.”
West Midlands Friends of the Earth campaigner Chris Crean said the best way to get communities to embrace wind turbines is to give them ownership and a say in what is going on.
If residents were able to benefit from the power that came from the turbines they would be more receptive to having them, he added.
“When some people find out a wind turbine will be in installed near their homes, they automatically think they’ll be getting cheap electricity, and that is just not true,” he said.
“If, however, communities were able to benefit from the turbines near their homes they might be more accepting of them.
“To do this, there would have to be a real change in the National Grid, and I don’t think that can happen as yet.”
Mr Crean welcomed the Government’s proposals to make it easier for people to install renewable technologies and said wind turbines were a step in the right direction. He said: “Amending planning controls to make it easier for small-scale renewable energy systems to be installed should encourage more people to play their part in developing a greener future.
“But these schemes would be given an even bigger boost if the Government improved on its plans to introduce a feed-in tariff next year – homes, businesses and communities must be paid more generously than currently intended for the green energy they generate.
“Climate change must be at the heart of planning policy – the UK could be a world leader in green energy, reaping the substantial economic benefits this would bring.
“If we can get the mix right there are definitely ways to make this a win, win, win situation.”
* 1 Strensham/Twyning border in Worcestershire - plan for three turbines submitted by Wind Prospect Developments Limited in July 2008. The company has installed a monitoring mast, which will be erected for two years. It applied to build an access track to the site, which was rejected in April and the company has appealed.
2 Hoggs Hill, between Harlaston and Clifton Campville, near Tamworth – a plan for four wind turbines, which is believed to be being submitted in January 2010 by German company Prowind. A 250ft high wind monitoring mast was erected and residents have voiced their objections to Lichfield District Council.
3 Abbots Bromley, Bagot’s Park Estate, Staffordshire – Airtricity plans to install eight turbines to develop a wind farm.
4 Bleak House, Burntwood, in Cannock – Peel Power has applied to place turbines on a former colliery site bordering Chase Terrace.
5 Aston Hall Farm, near Stone – Severn Trent Water wants to install three turbines between the villages of Aston-by-Stone and Burston. It also wants to submit a planning application for a test pole.
6 Bearstone, near Woore, in Shropshire – Nuon UK plans to build seven turbines on the Staffordshire and Shropshire border.
7 Reeves Hill, in Herefordshire – application for four turbines at Reeves Hill between Knighton and Lingen. Herefordshire Council was set to approve the decision, but it was referred to the then Communities and Local Government secretary Hazel Blears for consideration.
8 The Lenches, The Vale of Evesham, in Worcestershire – ScottishPower Renewables plans to build 10 turbines on farmland. The proposals were opposed by the Vale Villagers Against Scottishpower (VVASP).
9 Starbold, near Knightcote and Bishop’s Itchington, South Warwickshire – Broadview Energy applied to Stratford-on-Avon District Council to install six turbines. Consultations are currently being held with parish councils, the Highways Agency and Natural England about the plans.
10 Yelvertoft, east of Rugby – Your Energy Ltd has submitted a planning application for an eight-turbine wind farm near the M1.
