HUNTSPILL WIND FARM ACTION GROUP UPDATE:
16th April 2012
ECOTRICITY AND EDF HUNTSPILL WINDFARM PLANNING APPLICATIONS
PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
9.30 am TUESDAY 24th APRIL
PRINCESS THEATRE, BURNHAM-ON-SEA
To update you on the latest position with regard to the EDF and Ecotricity planning applications for the proposed wind farm developments at Black Ditch and Withy Farm.
Sedgemoor District Council have arranged for both applications to be formally considered at a special meeting of the Planning Committee to be held on Tuesday 24th April starting at 9.30am in the Princess Theatre, Burnham-on-Sea.
The SDC planning case officer’s recommendation is to GRANT PERMISSION to these applications and the Planning Committee will decide whether to approve, refuse or defer the applications at this meeting.
In order to demonstrate the overwhelming opposition amongst local residents it is imperative that as many people as possible attend the meeting. Your presence really can make a difference so please come along to the meeting to make your views known.
Thank you for your continued support.
Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group
HUNTSPILL WIND FARM ACTION GROUP NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2011
ECOTRICITY AND EDF PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Dear Fellow Resident,
We thought it was time to update you on the latest position with regard to the EDF and Ecotricity planning applications for the proposed wind farm developments at Withy Farm and Black Ditch. The current position regarding comments from ‘Interested Parties’ on SDC’s Planning website (http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/Planning%20Online/EnL.aspx) is:
EDF application 54/11/00004 ECOTRICITY application 52/10/00018
FOR AGAINST FOR AGAINST
40 (9%)* 391 (91%) 115 (19%)* 493 (81%)
*majority of ‘for’ responses were from people living outside the local area
Objections have also been received from the RSPB, Somerset Wildlife Trust, Mendip & Quantock AONB Officers, Natural England, SCC Ecologist, SDC Ecologist, local Parish Councils, District Councillors and BAE Systems clearly indicating the breadth and strength of feeling against these proposed developments.
As the ‘competent authority’ Sedgemoor District Council has a duty under the Habitats Regulations (2010) to carry out an assessment (HRA) of all planning applications that can potentially affect Natura 2000 sites. This assessment process for both the EDF and Ecotricity applications has now been completed and the HRAs, together with the Action Groups’ responses to them can be seen on the SDC website . In response to the HRAs, NE have withdrawn their specific objections regarding the internationally important wetlands providing stringent conditions are imposed but have indicated that they remain concerned about other aspects of the proposals.
We have also submitted a detailed case for rejection based on the presence of a major bat roost nearby and another on the impact on the landscape and local amenities. All of these documents can be viewed on the SDC website.
It now seems likely that both applications will be considered by the Planning Committee at their meeting in January 2012. Once a final decision is made as to when the applications will be considered SDC will organise two separate public consultation meetings to which everyone who has commented on the applications should receive an invitation. At these meetings you will have the opportunity to address the panel and ask questions of the applicants and the consultees e.g. RSPB, AONBs, NE. Members of the Planning Committee will be present to observe and record the comments but will not be able to answer questions directly. These meetings will be held at East Huntspill and West Huntspill. Please make every effort to attend these meetings to show your objection to the proposals. We will confirm the meeting dates as soon as they are available – please check our website regularly (www.huntspillwindfarms.org.uk).
The formal SDC Planning Committee meeting is open to the public and it is very important that as many people as possible attend both the public consultation meetings and the planning committee meeting to show the strength of feeling. We will keep you informed of any developments or changes to the anticipated timetable.
FUNDRAISING
Many of you will already know that we have been holding Quiz and Bingo nights as well as plant sales and flea markets to raise funds to fight the proposals. These have been very successful and we greatly appreciate your contributions through these events. Please continue to support us by attending and have some fun at the same time. Further events are being planned and we will advise you of these in the near future.
APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE
If you think you could help the committee please contact us. We would especially appreciate hearing from anyone with expertise in the following fields: geology, meteorology, archaeology, hydrology, law or planning.
Thank you for your continued support.
Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group
An interesting article on the amount of subsidy we are paying to Dale Vince, owner of Ecotricity, to spoil our countryside - To no beneficial effect.
Not one conventional power station has been closed as a result of unpredictable and highly variable wind power.
Quotations from two documents – the Ecotricity annual report and the decision of the NDDC Development Control Committee on 28 July 2009. First, Ecotricity: We have a ‘good neighbour’ policy and are committed to building turbines where we can be sure they will be good neighbours throughout their lifetime. If we can’t be sure, we walk away.
Now North Dorset:
1. Having regard to the proposed site layout and available evidence at the time of determination the local planning authority considers that the potential adverse affects on dwellings up to 2 km from the site arising from the proposal in relation to noise, including Amplitude Modulation effects, outweigh such benefits as could be attributable to it and as such the proposal is contrary to Structure Plan Implementation Policy D, Local Plan policies 1.8 and 3.12, PPS 22 and PPG 24.
2. The proposed development by reason of its location, height and overall appearance within an area of undeveloped countryside will result in an adverse effect on the surrounding landscape character and public views of the countryside that is considered to outweigh such benefits as can be attributed to the proposal contrary to RPG10 (RSS) policy EN1, Structure Plan Environmental policy F, Local Plan policies 1.8, 1.33 and 3.12, emerging RSS policies ENV1 and ENV2 and PPS22.
It doesn’t sound very good neighbourly to me. And what are the supposed benefits? Ecotricity is always keen to talk of the number of houses which would be powered by their turbines. In fact, no houses would be guaranteed power, simply because the wind is unpredictable and intermittent – both are factors which the grid cannot tolerate. Electricity cannot be stored in bulk – so it has to be generated when it is needed. And because conventional power stations cannot be started up suddenly, when the wind drops – or blows too strongly – they need to generate the amount needed to run the system almost irrespective of the input of wind. OFGEM, in evidence to the H of L, noted that for every MW of wind generation, 0.9 MW of conventional back up is required. So the carbon saving is negligible, and possibly even negative when the manufacture, construction and transport of these huge industrial structures are all taken into account.
There was a most sensible suggestion by a London professor a couple of weeks ago – continue to pay subsidies only to wind farms which are at least 30% effective, but withdraw subsidies to any which are less efficient – which would be most of them and would certainly include the Ecotricity and EDF applications for the Huntspills which by their own wind speed data would only operate at 14% efficiency, where the wind is well below the UK national average. And without those very generous subsidies, paid through our electricity bills, you can be sure that the Huntspill's application would not proceed!
Huntspill Wind farm Action Group letter printed in the Western Daily Press on 28th May 2011.
In response to the letter printed on 21st May ‘Simple choices for safe energy supplies’ from David Levy.
Many good people are led into believing that it is safe to assume that we have a choice between Nuclear and Wind Power, however that is not true! e.g. To equal the electrical energy output of the nuclear power station at Hinkley Point we would need a line of giant Wind Turbines covering 330 miles, then we have to wait for the few days per month that the wind will blow hard enough to turn them! The truth is that they will never replace any conventional power stations at all ever!
So much misinformation is being spread about that tricks people into wrongly assuming that the giant size of turbines (now higher than the London Eye) must be powerful because they are big, they are in fact very weak and a total waste of tax payer’s money.
Also of great significance are the birds that they regularly slaughter!
They are privately built to cash in on the "Feed in Tariff" subsidised payments that is a taxpayer’s burden to us all and placed upon us by governments that just want to blindly tick boxes, rather than address the real solution that is in developing energy efficiency and new viable systems of true renewable power.
Furthermore, the energy from waste systems to which David Levy refer’s, have virtually no emissions and the exhaust air is often cleaner than that within the vicinity. We except that there used to be a problem in this area but the technological advances in this field have been substantial in recent years. The residual ash represents a tiny fraction of the input to these sites and can be recycled either as compost by blending with organic matter or put to other uses.
The issue here is that we “nimbys” actually bother to examine all the evidence regarding wind farms. If the wider community did the same they too would conclude that they are a waste of time and can have a huge impact on those unfortunate enough to have them imposed upon them.
To quote Griff Rhys Jones. "Those who stand up for their own backyard are reminding us that we live in a small country. If you do not look after your own backyard, who do you expect to do it for you? This backyard belongs to us all."
Letter submitted on behalf of, Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group, West Huntspill, Somerset
The Welsh demonstration in Cardiff on Tuesday 24th May 2011
A report on the Welsh demonstration in Cardiff on Tuesday 24th May, against 800 wind turbines and hundreds of pylons proposed for Central Wales (TAN-8) -
It was extremely well attended (estimated 1500 people ) and there was stirring Welsh music and song as well as some emotionally charged speeches from politicians and activists in the protest gathering.
If you go on the epaw website you can see some BBC Wales footage. Weather girl Sian Lloyd, who lives in Montgomeryshire, made a very dramatic speech. She makes a good spokesperson. This was the biggest demo ever staged at the Welsh Assembly and certainly the biggest ever anti wind turbine demo in UK - perhaps a sign of things to come? And when the sheer scale of the project and the destruction which will take place is taken account of, it is easy to understand why this demo was so well attended
Wind Farm Application Report: 750 people protest against wind farm plans near Burnham-On-Sea
Please click on link below.
http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/news/2011/wind-farm-opposition-04-05-11.php
Press Release: Follows the press release from EDF Energy.
Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group 9/03/11
Although the group were aware of the pending application from EDF we were somewhat surprised to hear that it had been submitted as the opposition to the Ecotricity application has been so strong from both consultees and the public.
The RSPB, Natural England and Somerset Wildlife Trust have joined forces to oppose the Ecotricity application as they believe that the wind farm could have a significant impact on the migratory birds that fly to and from the Special Protection Areas on the Somerset levels and the estuary. The EDF site lies on the same migratory route and will therefore raise the same concerns.
The visual impact on the area will be significant as the wind turbines will be visible from all the surrounding Area’s of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This impact has been highlighted with strong objections from AONB Quantock and AONB Mendip. Again the same objections will be valid for the EDF proposal.
Judging by the experience of people that have the misfortune to live close to existing wind farms the EDF wind farm application will have a huge impact on the residents of East Huntspill due to the noise that it will generate, as the village will be directly down wind from the site. The prevailing wind is from the South West. Indeed EDF (along with landowners) are being taken to High Court in July by a family that were forced to leave their home because of the noise from the turbines.
We are not too surprised when the company fails to consider the impact on people who live in very close proximity to the wind farm.
Take Emerald Fisheries for example. An ordinary Somerset couple who have put their life’s work into a very “green” business and live on the site that will have their livelihood destroyed by the imposition of the turbines with no compensation whatsoever. People from all over the UK come to Emerald Fisheries to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Somerset Levels and participate in their sport whilst being accommodated in chalets and looked after by Alan and Anita. No one will want to return here once the tranquillity is destroyed with five EDF wind turbines in close proximity to the East of the complex and a further four proposed by Ecotricity within 500 metres to the West. These 400 foot tall machines that emit an incessant, pulsating noise will have an enormous impact on Alan and Anita’s business and the enjoyment they get from their home.
Many people do not realise that they are funding the profits of companies like EDF Energy in overpayments to their electricity bills. About £84 per year (rising to £150) of every electricity bill payer goes towards the subsidies that pay for these inefficient machines. It is our belief that these would not be otherwise built as they are not economically viable.
Nor do they do anything to save the planet as conventional power stations have to produce the equivalent power in case the wind is too low or too strong and the blades have to be stopped. What little power is generated is fed into the national grid.
As the EDF application has now been submitted to SDC we trust that SDC will look at the two planning applications together and take the cumulative impact into consideration.
The cumulative impact of both noise and visual dominance in such close proximity to people’s homes will be immense.
If they are going to put a wind farm anywhere, then slap in the middle of six Somerset villages is not the place. Please write to Sedgemoor Council and object to these revenue generators and do not be fooled by their rhetoric. The addresses and example letters are on our web site www.huntspillwindfarms.org.uk
John Wakefield- Chairman 07970003814
Julie Trott- Communications Officer 07840722747
Press Release: follows the press release from Ecotricity.
Ecotricity PR disaster
BBC Television, BBC Radio and the press were invited to attend a trip by local residents to a wind turbine by Ecotricity. It was clear that all those interviewed having gained the first hand experience of the scale of the machine and the noise it was generating had done nothing to placate them. The noise of the turbine could be clearly heard on the BBC Point West interviews and none of the interviewees had anything positive to say about the proposal to install five larger turbines near West Hunstpill. A resident local to the Shooters Bottom turbine is also vehemently against themOne attendee wrote:
On 2nd September, Ecotricity, who propose 5 huge 400foot industrial wind turbines for the West Huntspill area, organised a trip to visit their single turbine at Shooters Bottom on the Mendips. This turbine is in fact 66feet shorter than those proposed for ‘The Huntspills’.
My first impression on approaching the Shooters Bottom site was the absence of houses within the immediate area. Quite unlike the sites proposed for ‘The Huntspills’ which are surrounded by five villages with many properties in close proximity to the Turbines.
As I got off the mini bus, I was horrified by the amount of noise the turbine was making. There was a high pitched buzzing noise, which we were told was coming from the generator and also a loud whooshing noise which was made as the turbine blades passed the stem. The amount of noise both surprised and alarmed me, as we had been told that turbines generate very little noise. It was far noisier than any of us had imagined. As we moved some distance down the field the noise intensified.
I might add we were up wind of the turbine and it was a relatively still day. We were told the turbine was running at 5.5 meters per second. The noise was like an aircraft continually taking off. In fact, a couple of times during the visit I found myself looking up into the sky for a plane.
Imagine the accumulative effect of the 9 turbines proposed for ‘The Huntspills by EDF Energy and a further 5 by Ecotricity.
I find it totally unacceptable that these power companies are even considering siting industrial sized wind turbines so close to people’s homes.
I came away from the visit with the impression that our lives and quality of life are of little importance to the energy companies behind the proposals. This is all about money. The fact that we will loose our residential amenity, we will no longer be able to get the same amount of enjoyment from our homes, gardens and the beautiful area within which we live appeared to be of little consequence.
Julie Trott
Withy Road
West Huntspill
Local business could be destroyed by wind farm
Members of the action group visited a local business that may be forced to close because of the wind farms. Emerald Fisheries is pinned between the two proposed sites and its owners Alan and Anita Wilkinson are very concerned for the future of the business they have built up over almost 20 years. Alan and Anita have put their life savings as well as 19 years of their lives into building the business from scratch into a thriving holiday business that attracts visitors from throughout the UK. They also live on the site and stand to loose everything they have - through no fault of there own and whilst their neighbours get rich. This isn't right. And, whilst many of you reading this may not be directly affected by the wind farms, please stand up and fight for the likes of Alan and Anita.
