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Fritwell wind farm 'too near to homes', inquiry told (From Oxford Mail)
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Fritwell wind farm 'too near to homes', inquiry told
8:21pm Tuesday 9th March 2010
A WIND farm would “utterly destroy” an open rural landscape making life unbearable for local residents, a planning inquiry has heard.
An inquiry opened today over proposals to build four giant wind turbines on farmland between Fewcott and Fritwell, just outside Bicester.
The packed council chamber, at Cherwell District Council’s headquarters, in Bodicote, heard from district councillors, Ardley with Fewcott Parish Council, and Bolsterstone, the firm behind the proposal.
The Chesterfield-based company forced a public inquiry after Cherwell councillors unanimously voted against plans to build a £10m wind farm on land at Willowbank Farm, just south of the M40, last April.
And yesterday residents took turns to tell planning inspector John Watson why he should throw out the appeal.
Andrew Hunter, of Green Farm, Fritwell, said his home would be 450 metres from one of the turbines, which will stand 125 metres tall.
He said: “I am not against green alternatives, but what I am faced with is a turbine 450 metres away. I am the United Kingdom’s guinea pig.
“This is the biggest threat the countryside has ever faced when you have got opportunistic companies like this trying to squeeze four turbines on an 80-acre site.
“I have an awful lot of fight, as have the community.”
Mr Hunter, who also lets business units from his farm, warned if the appeal was granted it would open the floodgates to similar schemes across the country.
Fewcott resident Hester Edlmann said: “Every single rear window of my property looks down towards Willowbank Farm.
“I love my garden and have spent nine years growing things and making it as beautiful as possible. I don’t want to be sitting in my garden looking at industrial turbines.”
Martin Lee, of Town Well End, Fritwell, also raised concerns the turbines could cause a blank spot in the radar air picture for London Oxford Airport, a few miles away.
The radio frequency engineer, who works for BAe Systems, said: “While helicopters may see the wind turbines and collision lights would be installed, Oxford airport would not see any aircraft in the area affected.
“Being so close to residential areas, as well as the M40 motorway, will only increase the likelihood of a greater disaster if a collision should occur.”
The hearing continues and is expected to last six days.
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Your Say YourOxford
js3, Bicester says...
11:57am Wed 10 Mar 10
How many people can see the Didcot power station?! That's ugly, these things are beautiful.
I bet none of these complainers have been near a real working wind turbine. They're majestic and soothing.
You can stick one in my back yard as I'd be proud to be one of those ushering in a greener future.
Nick Mawer, Bicester says...
2:05pm Wed 10 Mar 10
The killer argument from my point of view, is that these turbines are a complete waste of money. The fact that they are being built at all is down to huge government subsidy, which is being doled out in the hopeless and misguided attempt to meet targets for renewables set by Europe. The fact that the fossil fuel, and nuclear plants have to be kept running at full capacity nearly all the time means that the net benefit of any wind turbine is next to zero.
js3, Bicester says...
12:47am Thu 11 Mar 10
You won't be in the shadow of these blades for long.
Get the facts right. Go find a wind turbine and learn from it.
The reason all energy producing plants have been kept going is because UK is demanding more energy. Not because one has been so succesful that it could be replacing another one.
There needs to be investments into renewable sources so that these sources can be developed and ultimately replace the fossil fuelled ones. Without initial push, we'll just one day, run out.
The first water wheels were highly inefficient, but investment into hydropower meant they were developed.
Same thing here. As time progresses, inefficient turbines will be replaced by more advanced ones.
Come on! Give it a go!
FenBeagle, Quadring says...
8:54am Thu 11 Mar 10
...Well the developers themselves, when the make their submition for planning. On both noise and flicker. That would be a good start.
Also the UK Noise Association, when they recommend 1 mile, as the minimum distance a large Industrial Wind Turbine should be placed to a home.
Also Peter Luffs proximaty bill through its first reading in Parliament, which suggests 2 kilometers as a setback distance.
Also many other independant reports on noise, and Infrasound that suggest 2 kilometers as the minimum distance.
Also the testimony of residents affected by operational Wind Farms. Like the Davis Family at Deeping St Nicholas, for example, who are now no longer able to sleep in their home, and have been forced to abandon it, as a place to live, 930m from a Wind Turbine.
Nick Mawer, Bicester says...
9:19am Tue 16 Mar 10
There is no evidence that industrial wind power is likely to have a significant impact on carbon emissions… Denmark, the world’s most wind-intensive nation, with more than 6,000 turbines generating 19% of its electricity, has yet to close a single fossil-fuel plant. It requires 50% more coal-generated electricity to cover wind power’s unpredictability, and pollution and carbon dioxide emissions have risen (by 36% in 2006 alone).
Flemming Nissen, the head of development at West Danish generating company ELSAM (one of Denmark’s largest energy utilities) tells us that “wind turbines do not reduce carbon dioxide emissions.” The German experience is no different. Der Spiegel reports that “Germany’s CO2 emissions haven’t been reduced by even a single gram,” and additional coal- and gas-fired plants have been constructed to ensure reliable delivery…
Industrial wind power is not a viable economic alternative to other energy conservation options. Again, the Danish experience is instructive. Its electricity generation costs are the highest in Europe (15¢/kwh compared to Ontario’s current rate of about 6¢). Niels Gram of the Danish Federation of Industries says, “windmills are a mistake and economically make no sense.” Aase Madsen , the Chair of Energy Policy in the Danish Parliament, calls it “a terribly expensive disaster.”
Source: Watts up with That
Villagers from Ardley, Fritwell and Fewcott demonstrate at Bodicote House with parish councillor Ian Corkin, front right
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Rick57, Middlewich says...
10:33am Wed 10 Mar 10
We also have a "radar expert" who claims that aeroplanes will crash onto the M40. Neither the Civil Aviation Authority, the MoD or the Highways Agency mentioned any of this when they were consulted about the plans. Strange...
And we have a man who likes the view from his well-tended back garden more than the thought of green energy for thousands of people.
I wonder what the planning inspector will be thinking with witnesses such as these people?