Memorandum by Carolyn Barker
1. WHY WE
ARE RESPONDING
TO THIS
CALL FOR
EVIDENCE
Question 6
1.1 I am a home and small-holding owner
in the small parish of East and West Newbiggin, in Darlington.
There are a small number of properties in out parish where two
farmers have decided to place eleven 100metre high wind turbines.
On the plans drawn up by the energy company, "Pure renewable
energy' there are wind turbines sited at around 400 metres from
people's homes.
1.2 Energy companies are actively seeking
out land owners, through farming publications, to host wind turbines
on their land. The subsidies and payments to farmers are resulting
in wind turbines being placed in inappropriate areas due to pure
greed and financial gain. The farmer is this case should expect
to reap a large financial payment from the energy company, plus
recurrent funding on an annual basis for the rental. The amount
of money available seems to take over from any reasoned thoughts
about siting the turbines in appropriate spaces.
1.3 The wind turbines will be visible for
miles and will impact greatly upon six local villages. Research
on noise interference is still non-existent, and although the
energy companies deny this is an issue, there are many examples
of turbine sites near to homes where the noise and flicker has
been unbearable.
I believe that wind turbines should be sited
in industrial areas, or off shore where people's quality of life
will be unaffected. I am also concerned about democracy for our
small local communities, as I suspect that when this goes into
the formal planning process, our voice will not be listened to
because of the overwhelming government support for renewable energy
at all costs.
1.4 The other issue is over the value of
properties situated near to wind turbines. This is not an allowable
issue to bring to planning committees, but it is a very real issue
for people like us, whose home is their investment for the future.
Whilst some farmers choose to profit greatly from the turbines,
fellow neighbours have to tolerate a reduction in house value,
and an uncertain future.
1.5 We live in a beautiful valley, which
has already been marred by two wind turbine sites, both of which
can be seen from my property. How long will it take the government
to realise that our beautiful countryside will soon be lost to
what will become industrial sites. Once wind turbines have been
built on agricultural land, it changes the site to industrial
usage, and therefore in the future we could lose huge swathes
of our green countryside.
1.6 In terms of carbon emissions, has any
independent research been carried out in calculating the actual
efficiency of wind turbines against the carbon emissions generated
for the concrete bases? Most turbines in the country are running
at only a 30% loading. One particular wind farm close to use have
not been turned on for the last four months.
14 June 2008
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