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Row over turbines as tall as St Paul's
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Nearly 1,200 people have objected to plans to build a major new windfarm with turbines which could be as tall as St Paul’s Cathedral.
Plans are being drawn up for a new windfarm close to the A6 – but a group of protestors say this is the wrong place for it.
The base of a former RAF airfield, near to Chelveston, Yelton, Shelton, Hargrave, Rushden and Higham Ferrers was sold to Chelveston Renewable Energy at the end of 2005, with the company hoping to develop the site into a wind- farm.
The development would have between 14 and 17 turbines approximately 425ft tall, as well as a biomass facility.
Protesters say the wind farm would have the biggest land-based wind turbines in the country.
The plans were discussed at an exhibition at Chelveston village hall earlier this year and planning permission was granted for a 230ft anemometer mast, which measures wind speed and direction on site.
However, residents of the nearby towns and villages are angry at the proposals and have set up a campaign group in protest, saying the turbines will be taller than St Paul’s Cathedral, in London, which stands at 364ft tall.
The Preserve group has now received 1,194 signatures on its online petition since the site was set up a couple of months ago.
Preserve chairman Pieter Mommersteeg said: “The wind turbines proposed will be the biggest inland turbines anywhere in the UK and will dwarf the surrounding ancient villages, towering over historical monuments, churches and houses.
“The biomass plant recycles animal, human and crop waste and, according to the developers, will be ‘fed’ by approximately 40 giant HGV lorries per day, seven days a week.
“These juggernauts will be thundering through the local villages on narrow lanes and roads that are frequented by children, cyclists, horse riders and walkers, along with local village traffic, and are not designed for the tens of thousands of lorry journeys per year
“It can be only a matter of time before injuries and accidents occur.
“We want to stress we are not against environmental protection but we believe this is more about making money for the developers, especially as they are being built in areas of proven low wind speed.”
At a public exhibition earlier this year, project planning consultant Al Morrow, of Phillips Planning Services, said: “Ww will consider feedback as we develop a planning application for the scheme.
“This energy park will help the country to generate the energy it needs as our fossil fuel resources diminish.”
The Preserve group’s website is at www.preservegroup.co.uk.
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