Airing our big concerns
CONCERNED villagers turned up in their droves to a meeting about an already-erected wind turbine.
The extraordinary parish meeting at Yarburgh Village Hall, near Louth, was organised following complaints from residents about the 67-metre wind turbine which is now in place on land near the village.
Both members of the Parish Meeting and residents said they were angry that East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) did not see them as official consultees and did not feel enough had been done to inform them of the plans.
They also claimed the address originally given on the planning application was at The Limes in Highbridge Road, Alvingham, the next village in the area – but that the turbine is within the boundaries of their village.
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Chairman Lynn Evans said: "In July, I was first made aware of the planning permission for the turbine and I told East Lindsey District Council that the village would most likely challenge the action.
"However, they put it up and now our challenge is to bring it down.
"ELDC has failed to identify us, as a Parish Meeting, as an official body in an attempt to take the village out of the consultation.
"It has also failed to identify the correct address of the wind turbine and has not contacted residents in the area.
"We are now in a very sticky situation and we are likely to get lots of other farmers wanting to put up their own turbines.
"The area is already like a pin cushion and is likely to get worse."
Resident Andrew McLaren from the village added: "I have written a formal complaint and have hand delivered it.
"Our parish was not consulted and the address was deliberately misleading.
"ELDC has failed their statutory responsibilities and we have had our democratic rights removed.
"The council were meant to contact people in a 1km radius of the site and the only place they have sent a letter to is a non-existent address to a non-existent occupier.
"We were not given the correct information to air our concerns. I am disgusted by their actions."
Malcolm Bouchier, of Louth, added: "ELDC has denied the people of this village their basic human right to information."
Anti-wind farm activists also attended the meeting to have their say.
Melvin Grosvenor added: "I am appalled that this turbine has been constructed.
"There is a serious issue around how big this turbine is.
"Wind turbines are like rabbits – they breed – but the difference is they are huge structures.
"Turbines like these are redefining Lincolnshire and we cannot let this happen."
ELDC's planning team leader Chris Panton, said: "The district council is investigating the issues raised by the Yarburgh Parish Meeting and local residents.
"The points they have raised need careful consideration because of their serious nature and, in due course, a response will be sent to those parties."
Comments
by Good_Citizen
Monday, September 10 2012, 7:15PM
“I love wind turbines. I think they are beautiful.”
by not2bothered
Monday, September 10 2012, 3:48PM
“Oh.
I'm still going to burn some rabbits.”
by Vindpust
Monday, September 10 2012, 3:20PM
“not2bothered.
Two points:
1. Wind-powered electrical generators have been around in the UK since 1895 and have been in widespread commercial use worldwide since the 1970's. This is an old technology that has never overcome its essential limitations - the expensive conversion of a diffuse power source into very small amounts of intermittent and unreliable electricity. So, damn-all to do with the 21st Century, even for bunny-huggers.
2. There is not much that is environmentally friendly about wind turbines. Most of the domestic variety were proved in 2 government sponsored surveys not to cover the carbon burden of their manufacture during the life of the turbine (Dave quietly took his down!). Small embedded turbines are ignored by grid regulators, so they save hardly any CO2.
The larger versions employ large amounts of rare earths which are produced in toxic industrial disaster areas in China. Most of the towers are are also manufactured there, involving a further large carbon burden in their coal-fired manufacture and shipping around the world. They also use thousands of tons of concrete, the worst CO2 emitter, in their foundations - which are never removed but left to produce chemical leachates which find their way into groundwater. The recycling of composite blades (on average now 40-45m and weighing 15-18 tonnes) has been impossible until recently - many have been burnt, giving off various toxins. A high percentage of industrial turbines are built into peatlands, releasing CO2, many of these schemes are unlikely to cover the carbon burden of their manufacture and installation. Many also involve clearing woodland, which naturally absorbs CO.”
by norfolkboy14
Monday, September 10 2012, 3:10PM
“Are you disillusioned by rising electricity prices, over dependence on the "green" dream [especially uneconomical and inefficient wind farms] and the destruction of our countryside then please object to the Government at
http://tinyurl.com/cajsyrf
or by GOOGLING "E-PETITION 22958" and following the link.
Please pass this message on to Councillors, friends, neighbours and anyone else you know to persuade them to sign up too. If you are really concerned about wind turbines please write a letter promoting this petition to your local Newsletter and to the Editors of your local newspapers.”
by not2bothered
Monday, September 10 2012, 12:48PM
“You're onto something here... We can all breed rabbits and then burn as fuel instead of erecting environmentally friendly alternatives. Welcome to the 21st century, I hope your village catches up soon.”