(This letter has been been recently mailed to the 77 Lincolnshire County Councillors)
Dear Councillor,
We are a
group of Lincolnshire residents who are concerned with recent pronouncements
from Lincolnshire County Council on the development of wind farms in
Lincolnshire.
The recent
survey launched on the County Council web site is preceded by this statement. “A
tough stand against wind farms has already been taken by Lincolnshire County
Council, and we’d like to make that official policy. However, it’s only right
that we should first ask your opinion”.
Our questions are these;
- Why incur costs to create official policy on matters outside your statutory duties?
- Are you not contravening DCLG code of recommended practice for Local Authority publicity, particularly the reference to balance and factual accuracy?
“Local authorities should ensure that
publicity relating to policies and proposals from central government is
balanced and factually accurate. Such publicity may set out the local
authority’s views and reasons for holding those views, but should avoid
anything likely to be perceived by readers as constituting a political
statement, or being a commentary on contentious areas of public policy.” https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/5670/1878324.pdf
- Is an online survey, containing questions with a degree of bias, launched within a very narrow time frame, really the best way to gain a mandate for “official policy” ?
In our view
it is essential that a proven, efficient, low carbon technology such as wind
should be dealt with impartially by our planning authorities. The world is
changing and we must accept that “business as usual” is a rapidly vanishing
option. The government’s renewed commitment to the potentially damaging search
for shale gas admirably indicates the level of desperation regarding the future
of UK energy supply.
We need to
install at least double the current capacity of on shore wind generation by
2020 to get within touching distance of the UK’s commitment to renewable
energy. Virtually all the units of electricity we produce with wind power
conserve gas resources for the future. We should not be advocating, directly or
indirectly, the unnecessary consumption of this irreplaceable fuel.
In conclusion, wind power has a significant
capacity to help boost the Lincolnshire economy. Please find the time to read
more about the economic impact of wind turbines online at Economic impacts of onshore wind
We ask for
your support to prevent the creation of an “official” anti-wind farm policy by
Lincolnshire County Council.
Yours
sincerely
James Pocklington
On behalf of Lincolnshire Pro Wind Alliance
These are the
on line survey questions and my comments
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2. Wind farms should play a part in meeting Lincolnshire’s
future energy needs *
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree No opinion |
Wind farms are part of
a national strategy to install renewable energy for the UK.
Is it feasible or even
desirable to demand that electricity generated in Lincolnshire is consumed in
Lincolnshire?
|
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3. Any wind farm development should give due regard to
other social and environmental considerations *
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree No opinion |
It is extremely
unlikely that anyone would disagree with that statement so why ask it?
|
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4. How important are the following factors in deciding
where to locate new wind farm developments?
|
All of the following
factors are important considerations in the location of wind farms.
|
|
a. The impact on Lincolnshire’s landscapes, including areas
of outstanding natural beauty and coastal conservation *
Very important Important Not very important Not important at all No opinion |
All wind farms are a
visual intrusion to the Lincolnshire landscape, you cannot hide them.
How they impact our
perception of the view depends on how much importance we attach to their
function.
|
|
b. The impact on areas of historic or scientific interest *
Very important Important Not very important Not important at all No opinion |
Every planning
application needs to be assessed thoroughly to determine the impact of wind
turbines on any location, including historic and SSSI.
|
|
c. The impact on the day-to-day lives of residents *
Very important Important Not very important Not important at all No opinion |
Technical solutions have been introduced to minimise impact
on nearby residents, but the degree to which they effect an individual does
appear to be related to a general acceptance of wind farm function. Where
wind farm installations directly benefit the community the levels of
acceptance within the community are much higher.
|
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d. The impact on the county’s tourism economy
Very important Important Not very important Not important at all No opinion |
Apart from the anecdotal, is there any evidence that wind
farms significantly affect visitor numbers?
A recent DECC survey found that only 12% of those
interviewed opposed the use of on shore wind. You can find the public
attitudes tracking survey at;
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5. The council’s guidelines should be taken into
consideration by local planning authorities and developers when deciding
where to locate new developments *
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree No opinion |
There is no statutory
requirement for the county council to have their view considered and that
should remain the case. The council should commit resources to their existing
statutory challenges and not seek out fresh ones.
|
.
