Renewable Energy
Door to Door Mailing
SPECIAL REPORT
Countryside Campaigners CPRE Norfolk announced results of a
wind farm survey at the site of the proposed new windfarm at Guestwick.
Every household in the villages of Hindolveston, Foulsham and
Guestwick was delivered a special questionnaire asking them their
opinion on the proposed development of six 2MW wind turbines.
Over one hundred households responded to the survey and the message
was clear: the wind farm was not wanted.
- 96% of households believed that the proposed turbines were
inappropriate for the area.
- 96% of households believed that the local landscape would
be severely affected.
- 96% of households believed that wildlife would be put at risk
if the development went ahead
- 92% of households were concerned by the possible noise disturbance
from the turbines.
James Frost, Campaigns and Development Manager said "The results
of this survey show that residents are extremely concerned about
the impact of the proposed wind farm on their quality of life.
Guestwick is a deeply rural location, accessed by narrow lanes
and a wind farm would be seen for miles around. It is clear that
this is not the best position for such a development."
Residents at Guestwick had already signed a 700 strong petition
and local action groups have been set up to fight the proposal.
Guestwick is the latest in a line of wind farm battles; from Shipdham
to Sedgeford and is a trend that CPRE Norfolk expect to continue
as more wind farms are proposed over the next ten years.
As James Frost points out "Local authorities and central government
must ask themselves why local communities raise such opposition
wherever a wind farm is proposed. Is this just short-sightedness
or do residents really have an important point to make?
"If the Government was really serious about climate change we
would all know about it, through carbon taxing and changes in
building regulations. Littering the countryside with wind farms
will not convince people that the Government is 'doing something
about climate change'."
CPRE Norfolk made a formal objection to the proposed wind farm
at Guestwick and submitted the results of this survey to Broadland
District Council.
On March 23rd 2005, officers of the Broadland District Council
Planning Committee unanimously rejected the proposal.
