Planning consent was granted today for an Essex Wind farm in the east of England after two public inquiries and a high court challenge.
The 10 turbine wind farm planned near the village of Bradwell in Essex, is close to the site of a 1960’s Magnox nuclear power station. The wind farm consent follows a decision to quash the proposal in 2008 due to a typo in the original planning consent. This typo would have potentially lead to unenforceable planning conditions relating to the noise output of the wind farm.
In re-granting consent for the wind turbines, Planning Inspector Mr Mellor said: “The Bradwell wind farm would contribute to the large number of wind turbines likely to be needed to meet renewable energy targets. It is immaterial that a new nuclear power station is likely to be developed nearby or that the wind farm would generate much less energy than that power station.”
Mellor claimed that both the wind farm and the nuclear power station would contribute to non-carbon energy production and that both are likely to be needed to meet national targets for energy production and to replace lost energy production capacity elsewhere.
The inspector confirmed that there would be some harm to the public interest locally, particularly in respect of a change in landscape character and visual impact for many and an adverse impact on some aspects of the setting of a nearby grade 1 listed chapel. He concluded however that this harm would be mainly local in its impact and the environmental benefits would be much wider.
According to Mellor, if we are to achieve the goal of substantially reducing carbon emissions whilst maintaining energy supplies, renewable energy will need to be supplied from many sources including onshore and offshore wind turbines. He noted that any local impacts would be outweighed by the environmental benefits which include reducing climate change impacts on the conservation of landscape, cultural heritage and natural habitats.
Winkler
October 11th, 2011
Sen. Lasee: Introduces health study for wind turbines legislation to
protect families and animals
10/10/2011
For immediate release
October 9, 2011
Contact: John Vander Leest, 920-327-0300,
john.vanderleest@legis.wi.gov
Madison, WI –Senator Frank Lasee (R-De Pere) has introduced “Health
Study for Wind Turbines” legislation in the State Senate. The proposed
bill creates a moratorium on future wind turbines until the Public
Service Commission (PSC) receives a report from the Department of
Health Services (DHS) regarding the health impacts on people and
animals.
Expert witnesses have acknowledged that Industrial Wind Turbines
(IWTs) can cause health problems including sleep disturbance,
headache, ear pressure, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring,
irritability, panic episodes, depression and a variety of other
ailments.
“There are three families that I am aware of who have moved out of
their homes to get relief because they are getting so ill. One
family’s teenage daughter was hospitalized, and when they moved, she
fully recovered. We can’t let this kind of a thing go on,” said
Senator Lasee. “It’s plain un-American to have wind turbines twice as
tall as the State Capitol right next to someone’s house that they are
forced to look at, which makes them dizzy, nauseous and sick.”
“This has been a nightmare, we’ve had to leave our beautiful home in
order to get relief from the health issues we believe were caused by
the nearby wind turbines,” said Sue Ashley an impacted property owner.
Darrel Cappelle, another impacted property owner added, “my wife has
been suffering from migraine headaches since the wind turbines were
constructed. This has been a horrible impact on my family.”
“This bill will require the PSC to protect people and their property
from being harmed by the effects of Industrial Wind Turbines,” said
Senator Lasee
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wind-powerit-blows/7703409934