The Airfield Farm wind factory will overwhelm the villages of Hinwick and Podington and will be seen 17 miles away.

The available wind resource in East Bedfordshire fails to justify this sacrifice.

We live in one of the least windy parts of the country. Yet Nuon Renewables, the UK division of a large Dutch energy group, has lodged a planning application to build a major windfarm in North Bedfordshire. It will dominate the landscape of the Great Ouse Valley and the surrounding area.

The Planning Committee of Bedford Borough Council are now saying they will be holding a planning hearing to determine the application early in 2007.

If development of the multi turbine wind factory at Airfield Road is approved by our councillors, it will result in loss of amenity, visual and landscape impact, noise and potential financial loss to individuals.

There will be no mitigating benefits to those whose daily lives will be affected.

Public knowledge and awareness of the blight of windfarms is on the increase. In a recent poll conducted by East Northampton MP Peter Bone, 80% of respondents stated their belief that windfarms should be sited 10 kilometers from human habitation.

We urge all local residents – and visitors who enjoy the amenity of this area – to take very seriously the likely damage that this and other wind factories will have on our landscape and environment.

Find Out More About Wind Energy in the United Kingdom

Use our guide to answer some of the questions about wind energy.

Wind Resource

A resident in the area has made a detailed study, at local and national level, of wind speed, variability and intermittency. This is available as a summary or as a complete paper (see Wind Resource). Monthly local and national statistics for the most recent months are provided.

Cumulative Impact

Since 30th March 2006 local residents are able to see for themselves the damage that a much smaller wind factory can inflict on the countryside. The 10 turbines towering above Burton Latimer can be readily seen for miles around, and yet they are just  two thirds the height of other proposed developments in the pipeline. Since the Airfield Farm Wind Factory application was made, three  other major power stations have been proposed. This  would mean five massive developments in our region - and a horrifying  cumulative impact .

A interim report by Environmental Information Services on the current situation is available for download [PDF : 80kB].

Also available for download is a report from David Stewart Associates on Issues relating to Cultural Heritage associated with the Airfield Farm proposal [PDF : 59kB]. 

Three new protest groups have been set up. BLEW (Bucks Lacks Enough Wind) was set up in opposition to the Petsoe End wind factory, BLOT (Bozeat & Lavendon Oppose Turbines)  is campaigning against the proposed development in Nunn Wood and PRESERVE is challenging the development at Chelveston. Please log onto these websites and place your objection to the relevant local authorities.

Bozeat : Carlton : Chellington : Easton Maudit : Farndish : Felmersham : Harrold : Hinwick : Irchester : Little Odell : Little Wymington : Odell : Pavenham : Podington : Radwell : Rushden : Sharnbrook : Souldrop: Strixton Wollaston : Wymington