Dorset Against Rural Turbines
Assessing the facts and acting before it's too late.
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3 Down,.. 3 to go!!
added 16 ⁄ 06 ⁄ 08
Proposed turbines reduced again - Council not told!
Council officials were left in the dark as Infinergy/Alaska further reduced the number of proposed wind turbines at East Stoke, this time from 4 to 3.
The Daily Echo report of 31st May stated that the council had received a letter informing them of this decision. However, a member of the public who actually attended the planning meeting confirmed that no written correspondence whatsoever regarding the proposed alteration to the planning application had been received and that it would be inappropriate to discuss the matter until they were in receipt of this notification.
This is not the first time that the local press has misrepresented the facts:
Dorset Echo Thursday 28th June 2008:
"The 'Alaska' site at East Stoke, for which developers are still seeking planning permission, could generate a further 18 megawatts from three turbines."
3 x 2.3mw comes to 6.9 NOT 18!!!! Please go back to school Dorset Echo!
Dorset Echo Thursday 6th December 2007:
"I have been to see all the residents neighbouring the land and after answering their questions they think the idea is great."
The facts of the matter are that most of the properties visited by Mr Bond were those of which he was landlord (hence not owned by residents). None of the 30 or so houses in Middlefield Cottages (right next to the site) had been approached nor were any of the businesses in the area. The local scout camp at Buddens Farm has never been approached, despite the fact that they host over 10,000 visitors throughout each year who would be sleeping in tents, some of which would be less than 200 metres away from the nearest turbine.
Daily Echo Wednesday 2nd April 2008:
Headline - "Wind Issue Splits Vote"
94% against would be more accurately described as a Landslide Defeat!
”Dart members took an unofficial straw poll of 150 people at the end of the meeting and counted 94 per cent against the turbines and just 8 in support”
They manage to confuse matters further in the article by mixing percentages with actual numbers - obviously 8 sounds higher than 6%.
Daily Echo - Sunday 11th May 2008:
Headline: “Controversial Turbine Plan is cut to Four”
"The revised farm should be capable of generating at least 12 megawatts of electricity - enough to serve around 7,000 home”
Given that each wind turbine has a maximum output of 2.3MW, the output would never reach more than 9.2MW (now 6.9MW with 3 turbines).
At a public meeting in the Durberville Hall, Wool, on 31st March, Mr Bond stated categorically: “There will be no requirement for navigational lights on the met mast or on the wind turbines” The very next evening, a red light was seen flashing at the top of his anemometer mast!
Arne Parish council meeting of 15th May, Will Bond informed those present that power generated would go to go into a local distribution network not the national grid. However, in a letter to the Purbeck Gazette (April Edition), Chief Executive of Infinergy, Charles Sandham stated categorically the generated electricity will be transferred to the national grid. It therefore has no direct benefit to the people of Purbeck.
The Daily Echo report of 31st May stated that the council had received a letter informing them of this decision. However, a member of the public who actually attended the planning meeting confirmed that no written correspondence whatsoever regarding the proposed alteration to the planning application had been received and that it would be inappropriate to discuss the matter until they were in receipt of this notification.
This is not the first time that the local press has misrepresented the facts:
Other Howlers from the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo:
Dorset Echo Thursday 28th June 2008:
"The 'Alaska' site at East Stoke, for which developers are still seeking planning permission, could generate a further 18 megawatts from three turbines."
3 x 2.3mw comes to 6.9 NOT 18!!!! Please go back to school Dorset Echo!
Dorset Echo Thursday 6th December 2007:
"I have been to see all the residents neighbouring the land and after answering their questions they think the idea is great."
The facts of the matter are that most of the properties visited by Mr Bond were those of which he was landlord (hence not owned by residents). None of the 30 or so houses in Middlefield Cottages (right next to the site) had been approached nor were any of the businesses in the area. The local scout camp at Buddens Farm has never been approached, despite the fact that they host over 10,000 visitors throughout each year who would be sleeping in tents, some of which would be less than 200 metres away from the nearest turbine.
Daily Echo Wednesday 2nd April 2008:
Headline - "Wind Issue Splits Vote"
94% against would be more accurately described as a Landslide Defeat!
”Dart members took an unofficial straw poll of 150 people at the end of the meeting and counted 94 per cent against the turbines and just 8 in support”
They manage to confuse matters further in the article by mixing percentages with actual numbers - obviously 8 sounds higher than 6%.
Daily Echo - Sunday 11th May 2008:
Headline: “Controversial Turbine Plan is cut to Four”
"The revised farm should be capable of generating at least 12 megawatts of electricity - enough to serve around 7,000 home”
Given that each wind turbine has a maximum output of 2.3MW, the output would never reach more than 9.2MW (now 6.9MW with 3 turbines).
Meanwhile the Infinergy gravy train continues its rounds:
At a public meeting in the Durberville Hall, Wool, on 31st March, Mr Bond stated categorically: “There will be no requirement for navigational lights on the met mast or on the wind turbines” The very next evening, a red light was seen flashing at the top of his anemometer mast!
Arne Parish council meeting of 15th May, Will Bond informed those present that power generated would go to go into a local distribution network not the national grid. However, in a letter to the Purbeck Gazette (April Edition), Chief Executive of Infinergy, Charles Sandham stated categorically the generated electricity will be transferred to the national grid. It therefore has no direct benefit to the people of Purbeck.