Visit by Giles Chichester MEP to East Brent Parish

Thursday 23^rd February

 Mr Giles Chichester, Conservative MEP and Energy Spokesman for the ‘South West and Gibralter’ has kindly consented to visit East Brent and Rooksbridge at the invitation of NoPilrow Campaign against the Rooksbridge Wind Farm.

 Timings are as follows

 2.30 pm  -  Mr Chichester will arrive and be met by members of the committee,

 3.00 – 3.30pm - A  road tour around  the planned site. He will be able to see for himself the existing Met Mast, which as we know is only a little over half the height and a fraction the width of the proposed turbines, and gauge for himself the effect these proposed structures will have on the locality.

 3.30 – 4.30 pm – Refreshments and discussion at Battleborough Grange where he is able to get a clear view of the levels and the visual and environmental effects these turbines will have on some of the most pleasing views of our Somerset countryside

 It is expected that members from the East Brent Parish Council together with our County Councillor Mr John Denbee will be present at the occasion together with representatives of the Wells Conservative Association.

 A photoshoot will be arranged at Battleborough and it is hoped that press representatives will be present for this and put any questions that they may have.

From the Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group

Hi, 

As you may be aware two public meetings have been organised by Sedgemoor District
Council regarding the Huntspill Wind Farm applications.
 
The Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group has organised a blimp to show the
height of the proposed turbines to coincide with these meetings.
The blimp will fly at 400ft demonstrating the enormous height these
structures extend to.

The planning decision, likely to be made in March, will be made by the
members who will visit the area on Monday February 13th ahead of the meeting in the
East Huntspill Village Hall that evening.
The blimp will be flown during that day.
 
On Thursday 16th February, a similar meeting will take place in the Balliol
Hall, West Huntspill regarding the Ecotricity application.
Both meetings begin at 6pm.

These two meetings represent the local residents final opportunity to
make their feelings known to the council.

I trust you may be able to cover and report on both the Public Meetings and
the blimp, which will be flown at Emerald Pool Fisheries on Monday 13th
February. The owner's livelihood will be severely threatened by both
applications.

Please feel free to contact me for any additional information.

Julie
 
Julie Trott
Communications Officer 
West Huntspill Wind Farm Action Group
07840722747

julieerica2@gmail.com
www.huntspillwindfarms.org.uk
 

Upcoming meetings Re. Pilrow Windfarm.

Date  Event Type  Location Time

Wednesday 22nd February NoPilrow Update session - for local Residents and Objectors to the Wind Farm.  Mark Village Hall 7pm-9pm

Monday 27th February NoPilrow Update session - for local Residents and Objectors to the Wind Farm. East Brent Village Hall 7pm-9pm

2012 - date to be confirmed Fund Raising - Sponsored Walk. Please see details below

 East/Brent & Rooksbridge

A trip to view a

working windfarm.

Provided by Broadview Energy for residents of Rooksbridge, East Brent and Mark villages.

A resident's report.

On a very cold day (Saturday, 4 February), Seven residents from East Brent and Mark took up the offer from Broadview Energy to visit a wind farm site at Low Spinney Farm in Leicestershire. Low Spinney Farm has four 125 metre high turbines which have been operating since September 2011. 

A coach was provided by Broadview which took us to a viewing point about 1.2 km from the turbines. The landscape is rural much the same degree as the Pilrow site but quite undulating such that the turbines are not always fully visible depending on the viewing point. There are no prominent features such as Brent Knoll in evidence. At 1.2 km from the nearest turbine, there was no noise from the turbines. However, a strong wind was blowing which tended to mask any noise. 

The group were then taken to the site access roads and onto the site itself. The site is close to the M1 motorway with the nearest turbines about 400 metres away. There are 3 villages in the vicinity, all more than 1 km away from the nearest turbine with a few farm buildings closer. We were told these are mainly the residences of owners of the land on which the turbines are built. We were promised on-site discussions with the local Parish Clerk but at the last minute she was unable to attend. A relative of one of the land owners did attend. 

The group were driven on to the site to within 300 metres from the nearest turbine which was rotating about 2/3rds maximum speed. The noise at this point was not excessive but there was a strong wind blowing that detracted from the noise of the turbines.

Various points were discussed with the landowner’s relative concerning the build and operational aspects of the wind farm. He told us that Broadview had agreed to provide about £5,500 to each of the 3 villages nearby for various community projects.
 

My overall impression was that the Low Spinney Farm site is in an essentially different rural location than the proposed Pilrow site albeit similarly close to a motorway. The Low Spinney Farm area is undulating and the motorway not in evidence from some of the turbines. The area around Pilrow is very flat and the proposed turbines will be in evidence for many miles. Brent Knoll is a feature with views that will be significantly spoiled by even one turbine. Broadview agreed that if Brent Knoll was not there, the site would probably not have been chosen as the accelerated prevailing winds enhances the suitability of the site.

Colin Loader    7 February 2012 

Personal notes :-

I am not a member of the NoPilrow Group, although I attend their meetings as I attend the Broadview presentations held within the Pilrow site area.

I am Chairman of the East Brent Harvest Home Committee and the East Brent Parish History Group.

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