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Save Maer Hills... from Bullsh*t!
"Do you know exactly how
much noise these turbines make (NONE) What would happen if the
electricity went off 7pm until 9pm (prime time tv) everyone would be
savage. We all need electricity don`t be selfish."
The Save
Maer Hills campaign has generated a vaste amount of hot air, much
of it inaccurate, spurious, misleading and wildly exaggerated. The
developer's PR team have completely failed to challenge the myths
that have been propagating - so in the interests of intelligent
debate we've analysed the main points of what they've been
saying...
Landscape impact
1. Protection of the
countryside and the wider environment, locally and globally, is one
of the goals of renewable energy policy. Renewable energies such as
wind power do not create any form of pollution or contribute to the
rising temperatures that are associated with human-induced climate
change, all of which are potentially damaging to the countryside in
many respects: affecting weather patterns; causing drought and
flood; affecting the agricultural economy; trees; animal, bird,
insect and plant species habitats; and causing migration of species.
The British Isles, both its urban and its rural areas, will not be
immune to these effects and has indeed already experienced some.
2. The natural environment
of Maer Hills is currently of poor quality because of the conifer
plantation. It is well known that conifer plantations cause
ecological impoverishment because they support few species, and in
recent decades there have been moves to replace them with broadleaf
plantings. The historic environment does not currently exist because
the original, centuries-old lowland heathland was planted over some
60 years ago as commercial conifer forest. The plans for the wind
farm include provision for restoration and regeneration of the
historical lowland heathland environment within the exclusion zones
of the individual wind turbines. For this reason alone the
establishment of the wind farm is to be welcomed.
3., 5. and 6. The
landscape character of Maer Hills is neither of high quality nor
sensitive, consisting of a large, undifferentiated block of
commercial conifer plantation. This is currently the only
significant and distinctive element in the landscape of Maer Hills.
It is a silent landscape because conifer forest supports few species
of birds and other life. The addition of the proposed windmills can
only enhance the landscape, by adding a highly interesting visual
element. The high quality, sensitive landscape lies to the east of
Maer Hills, comprising Berth Hill, Red Hill, Nikkerdale and
environs. The distinctive characterisation of the area in the
Regional and Structure Plans relates to Bowl Barrow, Berth Hill and
Red Hill. Bowl Barrow is on Camp Hill, outside the property under
consideration. Berth Hill and Red Hill (as well as Nikkerdale) are
totally separate from the wind farm site, as can be seen by
examining the land contours, and are further separated by the A53
road which passes between them and Maer Hills.
4. Windmills are no more
alien and incongruous elements in the landscape than is the repeater
station on the top of neighbouring Camp Hill. Windmills and other
manmade structures have existed in the landscape for centuries.
Further, the landscape of Maer Hills and environs is entirely
manmade and has been so for thousands of years (as is the landscape
of all areas touched by human habitation and activity). The modern
windmill design is a graceful, slender and unobtrusive structure.
Tall and distinctive structures can enhance the landscape and
function as landmarks.
7. Reduction of polluting
and climate-change-inducing forms of energy generation can only
improve the environment and quality of life, locally, nationally and
globally.
Forest/Woodland
8.–11. The ‘working
forest’ will neither survive nor be sustainable if warming caused by
human-induced climate change continues unabated. Development of
renewable energies, including wind energy, will be an important
factor in the survival of trees and woodland. The forecast range of
temperature rise, if allowed to continue unabated, is expected to
turn the British Isles into a semi-tropical environment, driving the
survival zone of temperate conifer species northwards. Tree cover in
the region can only be successfully increased if the march of
climate change can be arrested by reducing our reliance on fossil
fuels and changing to renewable energies. Without such developments,
all efforts at protection and conservation of ‘traditional’ British
woodlands will be useless. As noted above, the existing commercial
woodland at Maer Hills is of little environmental or ecological
value.
12. The small areas of
tree cover to be removed to allow installation of the windmills and
turbines amount to less than 4% of the woodland. As the tree cover
is undifferentiated conifer plantation it can hardly be claimed that
those trees that will be removed are visually significant. The
amount of tree removal involved in the cyclical clear felling
performed in commercial forestry has a far greater visual impact,
and in fact creates interest in the landscape. The campaigners
should realise that mature trees in the plantation are ripe for
felling and that removal of trees in this landscape is inevitable.
Design
13. The slender design of
modern windmills is visually unobtrusive; the structures are
graceful and the slow turning of the blades has a peaceful effect.
Maer Hills is currently lacking in character; as noted above, the
landscape is of poor quality and would be enhanced by the windmills.
Pollution
14. Wind turbines do not
cause groundwater contamination.
15. The noise from
windmills is negligible. All wind turbine installations have
to conform to government regulations relating to levels noise deemed
acceptable in residential areas. The woodland at Maer Hills is not a
residential area. The sound of the wind, of tree movement, of
traffic on the nearby A51 and A53 roads, and of agricultural and
forestry machinery will make it difficult if not impossible to
detect any sound from the windmills.
16. Light flicker from
windmill blades depends on the angle and intensity of the light
source (the sun). It is therefore limited to certain times of the
year and types of weather. Anyone suffering adverse effects caused
by light flicker from wind turbines located in a non-residential
woodland area would have to be deliberately seeking them.
17. Health and safety
issues will be taken care of by the exclusion zones around the
windmills. If the windmills are built to the required specifications
structural collapse will not be an issue. Forest fire (unless arson)
is unlikely to be a risk on Maer Hills unless climate change and
associated continuing temperature rise make forest fire a natural
hazard in the British Isles; changeover to renewable energies will
help to mitigate this risk. Road traffic accident ‘due to
distraction’ is a spurious, mischievous and irresponsible objection.
It should be noted that exclusion zones (as railway embankments;
motorway verges) are well known for developing ‘nature reserve’
characteristics; thus the exclusion zones around the windmills will
be beneficial ecologically (see also 18. and 19.).
18. and 19. The ecological
impact assessment on the wind farm is part of the planning
submission and examines in detail whether and how different species
on the site are likely to be affected by the development. Although
the campaigners list a few animal and bird species found on Maer
Hills they are unable to advance any claims as to specific types of
harm arising from the wind farm. Nor are they able to say whether
those species occupy a wider habitat beyond the immediate environs
of Maer Hills – as some species, including owl, buzzard and badger
very definitely do. Other species (including reptiles) that occupy
lowland heathland habitats will benefit from the planned
regeneration of the lowland heathland inside the exclusion zones.
Public amenity
20. The Newcastle way is
described as a ‘fascinating walk at any time of year ... From rough
moorland scenery around Mow Cop the Way passes through the relics of
coal mining, iron furnaces and brick making to rich farming
country’. The interest of the route can only be added to if it takes
walkers past a modern industrial feature that will come to symbolise
the 21st century, i.e. the wind farm. The proposal includes a
visitors’ centre. It is hoped that it will house educational
displays enabling walkers and other visitors to learn about
renewable energy technologies.
Heritage
21. As noted above, sites
of known archaeological importance, Bowl Barrow and Berth Hill, are
not located within the confines of Maer Hills. It should be noted
that these two sites are both the result of human activity.
22. and 23. The village of
Maer lies in a hollow. The wind farm will be located to the
north-west of Maer, beyond the high hills that enclose the village.
This area is likewise the result of human activity, and could well
be viewed by some as an alien and incongruous element in the natural
landscape.
Cumulative impact
24. The proposed wind
farms at Maer Hills and at Knighton are in completely separate
locations and therefore cannot possibly have a cumulative visual
impact. The application includes photomontage views from Knighton
that show the Maer Hills windmills are barely visible.
25. The purpose of the
road network is to facilitate travel and transport for all users and
to support economic activity. Traffic associated with the
construction of the wind farm will use the A51/A53 roads only during
the construction period. Once the wind farm has been commissioned it
will be regularly visited only once per month for servicing. If the
campaigners are concerned about these two roads they would be better
occupied campaigning for the revival of the railway network in the
UK and radical changes in national transport policy in general.
maerhills@hotmail.co.uk
and spread the word!
Maer Hills Action Group
set up by
local people in response to the proposal to build wind turbines at
Maer Hills
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