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You Should Be Aware
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A proposal to construct ten, 100 metre high Wind
turbines is being prepared by farmers and developers at a
site adjacent to the former Metfield Airfield and close to
the villages of Saint James, All Saints, Rumburgh, Chediston, Linstead,
Cookley and Metfield.
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| The site, northeast of the B1123
is agricultural land farmed by Leonard Haddingham
Farms. The developers are Saxon Windpower. |
| The proposal will be submitted to Waveney District Council for
the construction of ten
wind turbines with associated switch gear, control building, cabling, access
roads and a permanent wind monitoring mast. Each turbine would be 100 metres high,
equal to the height of a 32 storey building and higher than Norwich Catherdral. The rotor
blades are 80 metres in diameter, larger than a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.
The site will extend across 500 acres of farmland and if built
will be one of the largest installations in Britain.
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| The site is located within the area known as 'The Saints' and adjoins Mid Suffolk and
Suffolk Coastal District Councils. Planning Application is expected soon
and if approved, will be constructed
during 2004. This proposal is likely to be approved if the adverse impact on the area
and its people is not made clear to the planning authorities.
Planning Permission has already been granted for a 50 metre wind monitoring mast on the site.
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| What can you do? It is urgent that you write letters now to the land owners,
developers, your MP, District Councillor, Parish Council, Planning Department and local news
papers. It is your democratic right to express your concerns and to expect the elected
authorities to protect your interests.
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Many public meetings have been held in our Village Halls. Action groups have formed a central
committee known as VAITS (Villagers Against Inappropriate Turbine Sitings) which will challenge
the proposals and object to any such Planning Application. The development will have the greatest
impact to those closest to it, and will form a formidable back drop to the adjacent villages.
Saxon Windpower accept that it will be visible for many miles around. Planning blight now exists
and the value of houses in the vicinity are already affected by these proposals, while house
sales are collapsing.
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Persistent audible and sub-audible noise is produced by these turbines from a great height which
will travel long distances in this otherwise quiet area. This is from gearing mechanisms when the
blades and shafts start rotating, low frequency sound vibrations which will penetrate buildings
and 'swishing' noises as the blades rotate with a 'wap' each time the blades pass the tower.
Sun light behind the blades produces a 'strobe' effect which as a disturbing effect on animals
and people.
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Wind farms and wildlife do not mix. In this area bats, barn owls, marsh harriers and smaller
raptors, lapwings, golden plover, mistle thrush and flocks of migratory birds including snipe,
fieldfare and redwing will be displaced from their habitat and numbers likely killed.
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During contrusction there will be intensive heavy construction traffic. Saxon Windpower state
that widening and straightening of existing local roads and lanes will be necessary to transport
the huge components.
The tranquility we enjoy and should expect from this
rural area will be destroyed. Unlike pylons, these giant turbines
rotate causing a disturbing visual commotion. Whatever your outdoor activities, these structures
will intrude upon you and your experience of the environment and will be visible from church yards,
buildings of historic value, Sites of Special
Scientific Interest, The Waveney Valley, The 'Saints' villages
as well as from our gardens and through our windows. During
the winter, leaf-fall will expose those properties screened by trees to views of the turbines.
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We support government policy to develop renewable energy by increasing the present 3% to 10%
by 2010, but this has to be environmentally acceptable and without adverse effect to the local
community. It is officially recognised that the extra output needed can be supplied offshore.
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Remember, similar proposals have been stopped by local action.
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What can you do? We repeat, it is urgent that you write letters now to the land owners,
developers, your MP, District Councillor, Parish Council, Planning Department and local
news papers. it is your democratic right to express your concerns and to expect the
elected authorities to protect your interests.
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| Visit the web site www.countryguardian.net
for accounts of living with wind farms.
VAITS has a web site at vaits.localprotest.org
For further information call 01986 782413
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