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The Campaign
   
 
 
 
Ros Pound
 
01933 355173 (a.m.)
01933 315132 (p.m.)
 
rospound@f2s.com
 
On-line Objection
 
Written Objection
 
 
THE PROPOSED WIND FACTORY OF THREE TURBINES WILL INDUSTRIALISE OUR LANDSCAPE
 
Fighting a campaign of this nature is akin to David and Goliath. The collective power of wind energy companies and government policy is enormous. Professional public relations companies are employed by windfarm companies to reassure nearby residents during the planning phase and frequently succeed in selling the alleged benefits of wind factories. The spin put out by developers encourages people to support them. By the time the power station is under construction, it is too late to do anything. Communities are forced to start living with the difficulties, regretting they did not play their part in preventing the turbines being built in the first place.
 
 
 
Write an individual and separate objection to Bedford Borough Council.
 

Please ask every member of your household, family and friends who are unhappy about this proposal to write a letter before 30th October 2008.

A personal letter that states your objections will be very effective.

Remember - one letter signed by several people will only count as one objection.

 

 

 
TO OBJECT PLEASE WRITE TO:
David Bailey
Chief Planner
Department of Planning and Housing Services,
Bedford Borough Council
Town Hall
St Paul’s Square
Bedford MK40 1SJ
 
YOU MUST QUOTE REFERENCE: 08/02692/MAF- 3 WIND TURBINES AT AIRFIELD FARM
 
Grounds for objection
 
The Environmental Statement: The ES produced by the developer does not address many of the new issues raised by the revised scheme.

Much of the previous material is recycled inappropriately and incorrectly and the photomontages are wholly inadequate.

   
Landscape Character: The recent Landscape Character Assessment of North Bedfordshire has identified the Upper Ouse Valley as medium to highly sensitive to development.

The size and scale of the Airfield Farm Windfarm proposal is wholly unacceptable and will have a significant adverse effect on the landscape character of North Bedfordshire.

The turbines which are 125m high will dominate the countryside for many miles around and intrude into an Area of Great Landscape Value.

   
Site of Special Scientific Interest: The massive turbines will tower above Odell Great Woods classified as ancient woodland. This is one of only eight local areas with the national designation of SSSI for its unique flora and fauna
   
Community Consultation: They have made a number of inaccurate and misleading claims in the Airfield Wind Farm Community Update which is their only attempt to work with the community
   
Visual Amenity: The developer's claim that the reduction in the number of turbines will lower the visual impact on the landscape is misleading.

A single turbine at 125 meters in height cannot be absorbed into the local topography without undue visual impact and is wholly unacceptable.

The proposed windfarm will damage the visual amenity of all who live in the 20 villages nearest to the site

It is not acceptable that a rural landscape should be used to site a conspicuous and inappropriate industrial development.

   
Threat to Birds especially Barn Owls and Bats: The survey of wild life provided by the developers is totally inadequate.

Turbines are unacceptably close to Odell Glebe buildings which are important sites of bats and nesting barn owls.

   
Creation of Undesirable Precedent The building of one huge vertical structure on this site will set an undesirable precedent for others as it will destroy the important and sensitive characteristics of the landscape.
   
Noise Intrusion The anemometer is out of position if it is to judge wind speeds of the revised wind farm proposal. This impacts on the developer's claims both for noise intrusion and energy production.

The new positions of the turbines in the shelter of Odell Great Wood and other woods makes previous anemometer data redundant.

For the purpose of noise evaluation wind speeds have to be assessed on site in order to evaluate noise intrusion under the terms of ETSU-R97. This is a government requirement, even though in modern circumstances they are acknowledged to be inadequate.

The residences closest to the newly positioned turbines have not been subjected to noise monitoring.

   
Health & Safety Turbine accidents, fragmented blades, ice build-up on blades and fire risk could all pose danger to people using the amenities of the area such as horse riders and the thousands of campers who enjoy recreation in the immediate area at Santa Pod.

The effects of flicker and shadow and the health risks associated with wind turbine impact.

   
Public Rights of Way and Recreational Amenity: The proposed windfarm will damage the recreational amenity of those who regularly use the footpaths and bridleways alongside and crossing the proposed site.

The risk to horse riders using the bridleways if a horse is startled by the noise of the turbines or movement of the blades.

   
County Heritage: The impact of the turbines on the Moated Enclosure which is an important scheduled ancient monument remains extremely intrusive and wholly unacceptable.

Hinwick House, a Grade 1 listed building is within 1 mile of this industrial development.

Hinwick Hall, a residential college of further education for young people with disabilities is within 1 mile of this industrial development.

The character of the setting of 20 villages within the zone of visual influence will be greatly undermined, particularly Hinwick and Podington which are conservation areas.

   
Economic Benefits: The Airfield Farm Wind Farm will create an unacceptable visual intrusion thereby destroying our rural integrity and local tourism industry.

The Airfield Farm Wind Farm will not replace any power generating plant. All of the existing sources will have to remain operational at all times.

Bedfordshire already generates significant quantities of renewable energy through land fill and biomass Energy crops and Biomass would be a more viable and appropriate source of renewable energy for this area

   
Wind Speeds Bedfordshire has one of the lowest wind speeds in the country. Ludo van Halderen, Nuon's former Chairman of the Board (2008) stated that it is absurd for massive subsidies to go from European electricity consumers to the wind industry sector where the turbines are only achieving a 20% load factor.

Realistically, the Airfield Farm Wind Farm would achieve a load factor of 20% or less, yet Nuon Renewables UK have wrongly claimed a figure of 27%.

The anemometer at Airfield Farm is out of position if it is to judge wind speeds of the revised wind farm proposal. This impacts on the developer's claims both for noise intrusion and energy production.

   
Transport: The construction of the wind farm will involve widening small country lanes and transporting huge components and construction materials through small villages which already carry a disproportionate volume of traffic to Santa Pod and Podington Garden Centre.
   
Construction: The impact during construction and operation will be extensive and damaging to residents
 
All have to be considered by the Planning Inquiry under the provision of current planning legislation
 
SAMPLE LETTER OF OBJECTION
 

If you wish to use the sample letter of objection, please also include as many of your own reasons for objecting. This will ensure that your objection is recognised and counted as an individual objection.

Download the sample letter as a Word document.

 
OTHER CONTACTS
 
Letters to your local Councillor at the Town Hall, your local MP at the House of Parliament, and your MEP will add weight.
 
Members of Parliament
North East Bedfordshire Alistair Burt MP

burta@parliament.uk

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 4239
NEBCA,
Biggleswade Conservative
Club,
St Andrews Street,
Biggleswade,
Beds SG18 8BA
Tel: 01767 313385
Wellingborough Peter Bone MP

bonep@parliament.uk

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 8496

Tel: 01933 279343

Wellingborough CA
21a High Street
Wellingborough
Northamptonshire
NN8 4JZ
Tel: 01933 271207
South West Bedfordshire Andrew Selous MP

selousa@parliament.uk

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 8134
Tel: 01582 662 821
Mid Bedfordshire Nadine Dorries MP

dorriesn@parliament.uk

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 4239
Mid-Bedfordshire CA
St Michael's Close
High Street
Shefford
Bedfordshire
SG17 5DD
Tel: 01462 811992
Milton Keynes North East Mark Lancaster TD MP

lancasterm@parliament.uk

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 8414
13a High Street,
Newport Pagnell,
Bucks
Tel: 01908 615757
Buckingham John Bercow MP

bercowj@parliament.uk

House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 6346
Members of European Parliament
East Midlands Chris Heaton-Harris MEP

email

European Parliament
ASP 14 E 157
60 Rue Wiertz
B-1047 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: 00 32 2 2845523
23 Queen Street
Market Rasen
Lincoln
LE8 3EN
Tel: 01673 849 585
East Midlands Roger Helmer MEP

email

European Parliament
60 Rue Wiertz
Bruxelles 1047
Belgium
Tel: 00 32 2 2845764
Boswell House
9 Prospect Court
Courteenhall Road
Blisworth
Northamptonshire
NN7 3DG
Tel: 01604 859 728
East Midlands Bill Newton Dunn MEP

email

10 Church Lane
Navenby
Lincoln
LN5 0EG
Tel: 01522 810 812
Eastern Robert Sturdy MEP

rwsturdy@btconnect.com

153 St Neot's Road
Hardwick
Cambs. CB23 7QJ
Tel: 01954 211790
Eastern Geoffrey Van Orden MEP

gvanorden@europarl.eu.int

European Parliament
ASP 14 E 146
Rue Wiertz
1047 Bruxelles
Belgium
Tel: 0032 2284 5332
88 Rectory Lane
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1RF
Tel: 01245 345 188
 
SUPPORT CLOWD WITH MUCH NEEDED DONATIONS
 
However small. Although most of our work is done voluntarily we must get proper legal and professional advice to fight this application. This costs money!
 
SEND YOUR DONATIONS TO:

Ros Pound,
Wheatsheaf Farmhouse,
Hinwick
NN29 7JF

 

PRESS RELEASE

ALISTAIR BURT MP

North East Bedfordshire

burta@parliament.uk

0207 219 8132 /01767 313385

01234 314491 / 0786 8899789

14 th October 2008

 

MP WELCOMES BIG TURN OUT AT PARISH WIND FARM MEETING

RENEWED OPPOSITION TO NEW APPLICATION

 
North East Bedfordshire MP Alistair Burt chaired a special meeting on Thursday 9th October called by the Podington Parish Council to discuss the new application submitted by NUON for three wind turbines in the area. The meeting was held in a full hall, and speakers and residents outlined their concerns. These included CLOWD and Mr Michael Jefferson, a local resident and a former Chairman of an international body on sustainable energy.

Consultation by Bedford Borough Council has just started, and Mr Burt was using the meeting to gauge the views of constituents to the proposal. Mr Burt opposed the previous application.

‘It was clear that residents are no more convinced of these proposals than of the earlier ones. Concerns were raised about the visual environmental impact in an area of great landscape beauty, the economics of wind power and whether there would be reasonable generation of power from wind in this location.

It is a difficult issue, because we know we need alternatives to fossil fuels, and residents are as committed to renewable and sustainable energy as anybody else, whilst not seeing wind here as the answer. I hope that alternatives such as micro generation are considered as local possibilities with all the new building in the county, and there are other locations where wind power would do well. But it remains a controversial answer and is not a universal ‘get out of jail free card.

I will now be consulting with other local parishes before submitting views to the planning authority.’

Contacts: Alistair Burt MP 0207 219 8132 / 0786 8899789