News Windfarm awareness balloon bid
'Look to the skies' was the message coming from the Sixpenny Wood-NOT group last weekend as members flew a 'blimp' balloon at 125 metres high to show the adverse effect that a proposed wind farm would have on the area's visual landscape.
The local environmental group has objected to Your Energy Ltd's plans to site the ten-turbine Sixpenny Wood wind farm on land close to Howden, Laxton, Balkholme, Eastrington and Gilberdyke. They went to drastic measures at the weekend to show just how tall one wind turbine would stand.
James Stephenson, from Sixpenny Wood NOT, told the Goole Times this week: "The balloon demonstrated the overall height of a turbine, and most of the people I spoke to at the weekend were shocked at the sheer scale and height that the turbines could stand at.
"There are so many listed buildings in the surrounding area, including Howden Minster, and the turbines would detract the view from these buildings. To add to this, the approval of this application would set a precedence for further applications."
The balloon is set to fly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the next two weekends, and local residents are invited to go along and take a look.
But Matt Kelly, senior project manager at Your Energy Ltd, questioned how effective the environmental group's exercise would be.
He said: "A large balloon flown at 125 metres demonstrates only what a large balloon at 125 metres looks like, not what a wind turbine with an 80-metre hub-height and 45-metre blades would look like.
"People can view accurate, to-scale representations (photomontages) of how the turbines would look from over 30 viewpoints around the site, as included in our Environmental Statement. The photomontages are the best way to judge the potential visual impact at Sixpenny, and these are the tools used by the professional landscape architects who assess these wind farm proposals.
"Many local people have also joined us on bus trips to working wind farms, which is the best way to answer any questions about a modern wind farm. We suggest visiting one, or talking with someone who has been."
But James Stephenson hit back: "I find it amazing that Mr Kelly has said that the balloon only represents what a balloon would look like at 125 metres. I would like to see Your Energy Ltd come and put ten balloons in place to show the scale of what the company is proposing."
For more information about the campaign of Sixpenny Wood-NOT, visit www.sixpennywood-not.co.uk
Published on 27th September 2007 in News.
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