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Horspath wind turbine 'will harm landscape' (From The Oxford Times)
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Horspath wind turbine 'will harm landscape'
6:00am Monday 31st August 2009
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to protect the Oxfordshire countryside have claimed plans for a 130m tall wind turbine on the edge of the city would damage the landscape and dwarf nearby homes.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England Oxfordshire, which aims to promote and protect rural parts of the county, said the plans should be put on hold until more research had been done on the impact of on-shore wind turbines.
Oxford City Council ann-ounced its proposals for a £3m turbine between the Cowley car factory and Horspath earlier this month.
It has earmarked land across the road from Horspath Road athletics track for the turbine, which could generate enough electricity to power 1,200 homes a year.
Last night, CPRE Oxfordshire campaign manager Dr Helena Whall said: “It will affect views from the Green Belt into the city and it will impact on the community. We are mainly concerned with the affect on the landscape because it will visible for miles around. It will be enormous so it will have a dwarfing impact and there will be the noise problem as well.”
Dr Whall said the CPRE supported generating energy from renewable sources, but added: “It would be madness to promote wind-turbines willy-nilly all over the British countryside and we are in real danger of that happening in a desperate rush to seek low-carbon solutions. We must not sacrifice the landscape to save the environment.”
Ms Whall said the location was close to a number of environmentally important sites — including the Oxford Green Belt and two sites of special scientific interest — Shotover Hill and Brasenose Wood.
She added: “We feel the city is rushing ahead when the research hasn’t been done.
“Natural England is currently seeking to produce more informed guidance on the capacity of the countryside to accept on-shore wind-turbines, in terms of biodiversity and landscape quality.”
A planning application for the turbine could be submitted in 2011 once a test mast has proved there would be enough wind to drive a turbine.
Deputy city council leader Ed Turner said: “The CPRE are the sort of people who would uninvent the wheel given half the chance and stand in the way of anything which is new and progressive.
“For those who say they care about the environment some of the positions they adopt are quite extraordinary.”
eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk
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Your Say YourOxford
Concerned one, Oxford says...
7:53am Mon 31 Aug 09
Richard MacKenzie, Witney says...
8:02am Mon 31 Aug 09
Concerned one wrote:Well, certainly. Witney should have its fair share. Afterall, looking out of the window this morning, we certainly have enough wind :-)
Perhaps we could have them in Witney?
Lord Palmerston, Weston Turville says...
9:25am Mon 31 Aug 09
But I agree with you completely;if these monstrosities can finance themselves then why shouldn't our country be made to look like Steptoe's Yard? Of course they can't because they're subsidised ("made affordable" to the loony left) by a surcharge on leccy consumers-so, we don't all need to live in Oildrum Lane , thank you.
Richard MacKenzie, Witney says...
10:07am Mon 31 Aug 09
Lord Palmerston wrote:Do they really look that bad? I guess that this is a matter of personal taste. However, even if they are such an eyesore - is it not worth it in the long run if it forms part of a longterm strategy to reduce the UK's carbon emissions?
Richard, I'm sure noone needs even to look out of the window of your house to be aware of lots of wind.
But I agree with you completely;if these monstrosities can finance themselves then why shouldn't our country be made to look like Steptoe's Yard? Of course they can't because they're subsidised ("made affordable" to the loony left) by a surcharge on leccy consumers-so, we don't all need to live in Oildrum Lane , thank you.
BossHogg, Radley says...
10:11am Mon 31 Aug 09
As for the point about windfarms being subsidised - what a laugh. All the countrys gas and electric was sold for a song and they've been ripping us off ever since. Bring it on and you can have my back garden.
The CPRE all whine about noise (no pun intended here) - there's noise everywhere with planes, traffic etc. Get a life.
oxman, Oxford says...
10:19am Mon 31 Aug 09
Vestan Pance, Oxford says...
10:21am Mon 31 Aug 09
Lord Palmerston, Weston Turville says...
12:49pm Mon 31 Aug 09
No, because China and Russia could not care less about carbon emissions and the whole thing (which may be true;I'm an agnostic on it) is not a serious topic , just an excuse for flatulent politicians to drivel on.
"Bring it on and you can have my back garden"
But Boss Hogg, isn't your back garden already down to digesters for the production of methane from all the ordure you produce?
horspath, says...
1:18pm Mon 31 Aug 09
http://www.oxford.go
v.uk/files/seealsodo
cs/34285/11.pdf
Please also see Policy DS34 here:
http://www.oxford.go
v.uk/files/seealsodo
cs/34293/14.
'POLICY DS.34 - HORSPATH SITE, LAND SOUTH OF OXFORD ROAD - RECREATION USE
Planning permission will be granted at the Horspath site, land south of Oxford Road, for the development of outdoor sports facilities.'
I must object in the strongest possible way to this site being lost for the purposes that it was earmarked for only in 2005. We desperately need more sports facilities for our children.
Andrew:Oxford, Oxford says...
7:37pm Mon 31 Aug 09
horspath wrote:From memory the plan was to put the new swimming pool out that way. It's now going to be built at Blackbird Leys - making it far more accesibly by public transport.
For all those who may not be aware, this site was earmarked for sports development within the local plan adopted in 2005.
http://www.oxford.go
v.uk/files/seealsodo
cs/34285/11.pdf
Please also see Policy DS34 here:
http://www.oxford.go
v.uk/files/seealsodo
cs/34293/14.
'POLICY DS.34 - HORSPATH SITE, LAND SOUTH OF OXFORD ROAD - RECREATION USE
Planning permission will be granted at the Horspath site, land south of Oxford Road, for the development of outdoor sports facilities.'
I must object in the strongest possible way to this site being lost for the purposes that it was earmarked for only in 2005. We desperately need more sports facilities for our children.
Andrew:Oxford, Oxford says...
7:44pm Mon 31 Aug 09
dowhat, Oxford says...
8:11pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Headington mum, Oxford says...
11:14pm Mon 31 Aug 09
We need to safeguared our future energy supply as well as work to mitigate global warming.
Lord Palmerston, Weston Turville says...
7:32am Tue 1 Sep 09
Headington mum wrote:I'll bet Dr Whall is much prettier than you, not to mention that she is not barking mad.
I think the wind-turbine is a fantastic idea - they are quite beautiful things. We need to safeguared our future energy supply as well as work to mitigate global warming.
The UK alone will have no impact on global warming, if it is man made, and there is no way a country capable of sustaining 17 million people , like the UK, can sustain 61 million and rising-as any fule kno.
nurofen, Oxford says...
9:17am Tue 1 Sep 09
cottage2day, Oxford says...
11:35am Tue 1 Sep 09
The Rockabilly Red, Halfway To Memphis says...
10:47pm Tue 1 Sep 09
cottage2day wrote:Seriously, if you're bothered about so-called 'global warming', you'd be better of finding a way of stopping cows ****.
people are so frigging dumb. Whats more important? How pretty the landscape looks or our survival (long term obviously)
Or perhaps taking the 15 largest merchant ships in the World out of service.
sedbergh76, Horspath says...
11:34am Wed 2 Sep 09
We are not part of Oxford City and don't want to be so why should we have to look and hear it and as the comment about the view of BMW (Vestan Pance) - you can hardly see it and this will dwarf it.
It would seem to me a better place is the other side of the Unipart building i.e. An industrial area and more windy!
So all you supporters out there - campaign for one in Headington and anywhere else you want in Oxford City - an even better suggestion I heard was put it on top of Shotover - how about that !
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Richard MacKenzie, Witney says...
6:27am Mon 31 Aug 09
I understand that not all people like change, but finding and supplying souces or renewable energy is now a MUST if we are to deal with our climate issues.
If there is enough wind in the county then lets hope that these spring up throughout Oxfordshire.
To service the whole of Oxfordshires electricity needs we would need around 210 if one turbine can feed 1200 homes. I am not sure where they would all go or how to pay for them, but we have to make a start somewhere.
What about placing some next to didcot powerstation?