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Wind farm plans put Dorset World Heritage Site ‘at risk’ 

Credit:  Dorset Echo | 27th May 2014 | www.dorsetecho.co.uk ~~

South Dorset MP Richard Drax has praised UNESCO’s condemnation of the Navitus Bay Wind Farm proposal.

The UN agency has said that the wind farm proposal would change the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site to a natural setting ‘dominated by man-made structures’.

The comments were made by Kishore Rao, director of the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, whilst responding to a submission from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The government department’s submission suggested the wind farm wouldn’t result in an impact upon the World Heritage designation of the coastline.

Mr Rao, however, said the wind farm’s potential impacts were in contradiction to the overarching principle of the World Heritage Convention.

Mr Drax said: “I wrote to UNESCO in July 2012 about the threat that such a vast, industrial, offshore complex could pose to this, the sole World Heritage Site of Outstanding Universal Value in England.

“I am delighted that they seem to agree with me although I am concerned that our designation may be threatened.”

Mr Drax said UNESCO’s letter was devastating on many counts.

He said: “In particular, UNESCO objects to Navitus Bay Development Ltd being allowed to prepare their own, Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).

“They say, ‘due to the significance of this project and its potential impact on a World Heritage natural property, it could have been more appropriate to commission the preparation of an EIA to an independent consultant instead of being prepared by the proponents of this development.’ I could not agree more.”

“They go on to say that the development would have a ‘significant impact upon the natural setting’ of the Jurassic Coastline. They also reject the developers’ suggestion that the value of the WHS lies in close up examination of the geomorphology.

“Instead, they say that Navitus Bay would ‘adversely impact’ views from the main visitor site at Durlston Point, where the wind farm ‘would replace the Isle of Wight as the dominant feature on the horizon.”

Mr Drax highlighted concerns raised by UNESCO concerning reduced visitor numbers.

He said: “This is a real worry. Tourism is of critical importance to Dorset. We welcome 14 million visitors a year and most of them will visit the seaside at some point.

“Every one of them will be able to see a forest of pylons offshore if this proposal goes ahead. UNESCO seems in little doubt that such a vista will put visitors off. That, in turn will affect jobs and businesses down here.”

“It beggars belief that anyone ever thought of putting a wind farm of this size and complexity here, so close to shore.”

Mr Drax said the wind farm would have far reaching repercussions, including sediment disturbance, ‘constant sound’, low frequency hums, light flicker, rain shadows, radar shadows and physical obstacles to bird and marine life.

He added: “When proposals for just three wind turbines threatened another World Heritage Site, the Mont Saint Michel in France, UNESCO threatened to withdraw their world heritage status. The French government was forced to draw a 20km exclusion zone around the Mont.

“At the very least, I hope for a similar result here. Better still, Navitus Bay will follow UNESCO’s suggestion and place this monstrosity of a wind farm elsewhere.

“I urge everyone who objects to this proposal to make their views clear by writing in to the government as an ‘interested party’ before June 23.

“The rules have changed and this is now the only way to give your feedback on the final proposal for Navitus Bay.”

For more information on how register as an interested party, please visit http://www.challengenavitus.org.uk/register.html

South Dorset MP Richard Drax has backed concerns raised by the World Heritage Centre involving the Navitus Bay Wind Farm proposal.

The concerns were raised by Kishore Rao, director of the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, whilst responding to a submission from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The centre said that the wind farm proposal would change the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site to a natural setting ‘dominated by man-made structures’.

The body in charge of taking decisions regarding the status of World Heritage sites is the World Heritage Committee. The World Heritage Centre serves the Committee.

Mr Drax said: “I wrote to UNESCO in July 2012 about the threat that such a vast, industrial, offshore complex could pose to this, the sole World Heritage Site of Outstanding Universal Value in England.

“I am delighted that they seem to agree with me although I am concerned that our designation may be threatened.”

Mr Drax said the wind farm would have far reaching repercussions, including sediment disturbance, constant sound, low frequency hums, light flicker, rain shadows, radar shadows and physical obstacles to bird and marine life.

He added: “When proposals for just three wind turbines threatened another World Heritage Site, the Mont Saint Michel in France, UNESCO threatened to withdraw their world heritage status. The French government was forced to draw a 20km exclusion zone around the Mont.

“At the very least, I hope for a similar result here. Better still, Navitus Bay will follow UNESCO’s suggestion and place this monstrosity of a wind farm elsewhere.”

A spokesman for UNESCO however said no final assessment had been made.

Discussing Mr Rao’s letter, the spokesman said: “It raised questions regarding the potentially negative impact of Navitus Bay on the World Heritage Site of Dorset and East Devon Coast.

“But in his letter Mr Rao also pointed out that further study was required to assess that impact.

“The Navitus Bay project has given rise to regular exchanges of views and the project has evolved over recent years.

“There is no final assessment, positive or negative, of the project at present.”

Richard Edmonds, Jurassic Coast Science Manager at Dorset County Council, said the proposals wouldn’t affect the physical aspects of the site.

He said: “We don’t think that the change to the wave climate will have a significant effect on the site. If it slows erosion down significantly, that would be an impact.”

Mr Edmonds said it would be for UNESCO to decide whether the site’s heritage status is threatened.

He said: “It’s such a huge project. It involves so many different disciplines. It’s quite challenging.”

Mr Edmonds nevertheless admitted that he was concerned about the proposal’s visual impact and how this would affect people’s experience of the coast.

Source:  Dorset Echo | 27th May 2014 | www.dorsetecho.co.uk

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

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