Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Wind farms on 3 sides of Spaldington - some perverse joke?


RWE nPower renewables took the opportunity to hold two consultation exhibitions over the weekend, at Spaldington and Holme on Spalding Moor, where they displayed their plans for the River Valley scheme - a large wind farm consisting of 8 x 126m high turbines proposed to be built at each side of the River Foulness, between Spaldington and Holme on Spalding Moor.
This is the third application for a wind farm near Spaldington. The 5 x 126m turbine Spaldington Airfield site has already been approved at appeal by the Government’s Planning Inspector against the wishes of the community, and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Planning Committee. Fortunately the 7 x 126m turbine Spaldington Common scheme was thrown out by the Inspector, but the developer is thinking about resubmitting a two or three turbine application for the site.  So wind farms on three sides of the village – “is this some perverse joke?” as someone said at the exhibition!

Having had dealings with the other two Spaldington wind farm developers – I think it is fair to say that RWE nPower renewables are head and shoulders above the others.  They have at least tried to engage with residents and the Parish Councils, and I certainly feel they have listened to what I have said regarding distances between turbines and properties - there is no turbine planned to be located within 750m of houses.

On talking to people at the Holme on Spalding Moor exhibition the response was very mixed as one would expect, although I think people were impressed by the quality of the displays and the amount of information presented, particularly with the 3D modelling showing views from all angles and elevations, and from all properties.
This may well be the best application of the three, being further away from properties and residents of Spaldington and Gribthorpe not having to drive through turbines to get home – but the cumulative impact of having turbines at each side of the village is going to be a serious issue, and for me is unacceptable.

Before submitting a planning application I hope the company takes on board what they were being told at the exhibitions, particularly about access, and improves the scheme accordingly, but also looks to be more creative in how the community can benefit especially linking to other projects around the River Foulness and creating bridleways and paths aimed at boosting local tourism.

I would rather them just go away - but we have to live in the real world, and although I will find it very difficult to support another wind farm in Howdenshire and particularly near Spaldington, I know it will be tough to go against the so called National Interest and EU dictat.  

3 comments:

Tyke said...

Hopefully the Government will consider the recent High Court judgements and the widespread (finally) acceptance that windpower is NOT a solution to our National energy needs.
The grandiose schemes executed so far or planned are an expensive non-solution which will only serve to upset our balance of payments, cripple our energy using industries and cost every domestic electricity consumer a fantastic amount to prop up the idiotic campaigning of a vociferous but misguided "green brigade".
The stupidity of sitting on vast coal reserves which can provide electricity at less than a quarter of the cost but abandoning it in favour of a failing green policy is unbelievable.
In the meantime we lay waste to our green and pleasant land to satisfy greedy overseas energy companies and short sighted landowners.

Anonymous said...

Nevertheless Paul 750m min distance is not enough. 2km is the recommended (personally I'd settle for 1 ml)

Anonymous said...

I dont think Milton Keynes will agree with your assessment of RWE Paul