Marlborough environmentalists have waded into a controversy that will effectively stop commercial wind turbines being erected in the county.
At the end of June, Wiltshire Council adopted a last-minute amendment to its core strategy, imposing a minimum distance between wind turbines and residential properties.
The motion passed by Wiltshire council would ban the erection of turbines within three kilometres of a home for turbines taller than 150m and two kilometres for those over 100m. Swindon is considering a similar amendment to its core strategy.
In response, concerned environmentalists – including Transition Marlborough, whose mission is to aims to protect the town and the surrounding area from the rising costs of food, energy and transport which are being driven by the global challenges of depleting fossil fuel resources, climate change, and the resultant environmental impacts – have formed the Wiltshire Clean Energy Alliance to challenge the amendment.
The WCEA has protested to the Planning Inspector, who in turn has told Wiltshire Council that the public should be consulted over the proposed change.
Richard Pitts, a committee member of Transition Marlborough and a town councillor told Marlborough News Online: “Historically, the electricity needed by Wiltshire homes and businesses has been generated in industrial areas. The visual blight and pollution caused by coal-powered generators has not been our problem.
“What has motivated this late change to the core strategy? My personal view is that it is driven by the same issues of coal electrical generation – NIMBYism. Conservative Councillors fear a backlash of voters who don’t want the turbines spoiling their view
“Personally, I think the local generation of sustainable energy – by wind and solar power – is a great thing. Power is not wasted as it is transmitted across great distances, and sustainable energy projects generate not just clean energy, but also wealth.”
A Wiltshire Council spokesman confirmed: “The last formal consultation on the Strategy resulted in representations from more than 430 different organisations and individuals. Collectively, more than 1,700 separate comments were made on different parts of the plan.
“In response to comments received, a number of changes to the draft core strategy were proposed and agreed at June´s Full Council meeting.
“These changes include updating the strategy to improve consistency with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and a motion which gives interim guidance on how far wind turbines should be from homes.
“As expected, the inspector has now asked the council to consult on these changes.”
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