Wind farms- where we stand

At present, there are about 1,000 wind turbines in the UK, but this government is pursuing planning policies aimed at neutralising the right of local people to object to wind farm development; the consequence could be as many as 6,000 turbines across the country by 2010.

Clwyd West contains some of the most scenically beautiful landscapes in this country.  However, the Welsh Assembly has designated the Clocaenog Forest area as a target site for developing a 100 turbine wind farm.  If the scheme goes ahead, the consequence may be the loss of a quarter of the forest.

Once the farm has been constructed, it will be there for generations.   People, quite understandably, do not like the turbines and do not want them.  This should not be dismissed as mere nimbyism: landscapes which have been created by nature and by humans over generations will be irretrievably destroyed if the project goes ahead.

And even if it were nimbyism, people should not be denied the right to voice their objections to proposals which affect their communities so fundamentally.  But that is exactly what this government intends to do.  Technical Advice Note (TAN) 8 will effectively allow government to impose wind farms on communities, whether they like it or not.

It is right that this country should pursue a renewable energy policy and wind farms have a place in that policy.  But this government has a blinkered fixation with wind farms; biomass, geothermal, tidal and wave power have all been virtually abandoned. 

And if people don’t want the turbines, too bad – they will get them anyway.

We don’t think that that is a sensible renewable energy policy, nor is it a democratic way of exercising the power that comes with  government.

Clwyd West Conservatives want to ensure make sure that people’s voices are heard and given proper consideration on this important issue, which will have a permanent and – we think -  catastrophic effect on their communities.

So please let us have your views, by visiting the “Survey” section.

Many thanks.

David Jones

Parliamentary spokesman