Planners back Fewcott wind farm application (From The Oxford Times)

Planners back Fewcott wind farm application

5:01pm Thursday 16th April 2009 in News By Sam McGregor

Fewcott villagers protest against the planned wind farm

VILLAGERS are furious wind turbines twice the height of Nelson’s Column are likely to be built near their homes.

Planning officers at Cherwell District Council have recommended the £10m wind farm on farmland between Fewcott and Fritwell, near Bicester, is approved on Thursday.

If successful, it will see four 125-metre-high turbines in two fields at Willowbank Farm, just south of the M40.

So far the council has received 113 letters of objection and 249 letters supporting the proposal from across the country and the USA.

Local people say they support renewable energy schemes, but believe Fewcott is the wrong site for wind turbines and they would be better suited in open moorland or at sea.

Ian Corkin, of Ardley with Fewcott Parish Council, said: “It’s a problem because Cherwell’s planning committee may feel they should be supportive, but it has got to be in the right setting.

“You can’t put 400ft turbines a few hundred metres from ordinary size dwellings. It will absolutely dominate the entire area.”

Each turbine will stand 15 times higher than the average house and the nearest home — excluding the farmer’s house — will be about 500 metres from a turbine.

Mr Corkin said there had been no testing at the site and the Government’s own statistics showed the average wind speed of the area is 15mph — wind turbines only start turning at 9mph.

He said: “In this context, wind turbines of this size are only ever put out at sea. They are absolutely enormous. It very much comes down to the fact it is an inappropriate development for the area.”

Villagers are also concerned about noise, traffic issues during construction and transporting the turbines through the narrow roads to get to the villages.

Residents are also concerned about the effect from the turbines when the sun hits a moving blade and causes flickering shadows.

Sheila Ultsch, chairman of Fritwell Parish Council, said residents said the turbines would be too close to homes.

She said: “They are also worried about when these things are being built they will be brought in enormous trucks. We don’t know how they are going to negotiate the roads to get to the site.

“Whilst we have every sympathy with green issues, I think this is the wrong site.”

Residents’ complaints come just a month after Climate Change Secretary Ed Milliband said opposition to wind farms should become as socially unacceptable as failing to wear a seatbelt.

Bolsterstone, the firm due to operate the wind farm, was unavailable for comment.

There is a wind farm at Watchfield, near Faringdon. Tesco plans to install a turbine at its Banbury store and the Co-op has been planning one off Botley Road, Oxford.