Clash over Eden turbine
EMOTIONS ran high at a public meeting to discuss plans for a massive wind turbine at one of the Westcountry's most popular tourist attractions.
Around 200 residents from nearby towns and villages descended on the Eden Project, near St Austell in Cornwall to air their views last night.
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Eden submitted a planning application to Restormel Borough Council for a single two-megawatt, 412ft (127 metre) wind turbine at the northern side of its site.
Over a year, it is believed a turbine of this size would supply Eden with enough clean and secure energy to run its operations and to feed a proportion back into the national grid.
Last week, angry residents blocked the entrance to the Eden Project in protest at the plans.
Last night's meeting was chaired by BBC Radio Cornwall journalist Laurence Reed and included a representative from the developers, Renewable Energy Systems.
Tim Smit, chief executive and co-founder of the Eden Project, said: "Since the beginning, we wanted to be as sustainable as we could be. We've pushed the boundaries of what's possible in transferring from fossils to renewable energy to the point where we're as energy efficient as we can be. We have accommodation at Eden – we don't want to build something that's going to blight ourselves. For our future and our children's future, we have to stop using fossil fuels."
He added that Eden was awaiting permission to erect a structure the height of the proposed turbine on the site so residents could see what it would look like.
Resident Malcolm Robertson said: "When will one become two, two become four and four become eight?"
Residents and members of the Eden Neighbourhood Forum asked for a deferral of the decision by two or three months because some local people felt that Eden was "railroading" the application through.
Ron Chapman, a member of the neighbourhood forum, said: "Renewable energy is fine but they don't seem to take any notice of the people living nearby. I'm in favour of renewable energy, it's obviously the way to go, but you can't have it and pay no attention to the effect it will have on people in the 40 properties which will experience noise. If the tap is dripping it drives us to distraction."
Dean Miller, renewable energy lecturer at the University of Exeter, said the Government's objective was to achieve 80 per cent renewable energy by 2060.
He added: "Eden is a world icon and there isn't a better place in the UK to demonstrate the environmental benefits of renewable energy than the Eden Project."
Planning officer Nigel Doyle said the application was in the early days and planners were conducting the fact-finding stage. Restormel has received 91 letters of objection to the plans and one of support.
Mr Doyle said he would discuss possible deferral until January 22 with the chairman of the planning committee.
Objections detailed in the letters include concerns about noise, visual impact, disturbance to animals and concerns that property values and health would be affected.
Renewable Energy Systems project manager Rachel Ruffle responded to queries on why the turbine would be so tall by saying the taller turbine would capture less turbulent winds and advised those concerned about noise to visit other wind turbines to assess noise levels themselves.
21 Comments
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by jimbo, kernow
Friday, November 07 2008, 3:10PM
“how are eden actually saving the world? a very grand statement. from someone who says I am getting confused - i mean i do enjoy the gigs, but I believe that running a motor show, gigs etc is not planet saving, just business!”
by sarah, falmouth
Friday, November 07 2008, 2:56PM
“I would like to comment but my eyes are still burning from teh halogen lights in the education centre strategically placed nest to the ill thought through natural light vents (small windows). Eden has brought jobs and thats a good thing but they do not practise what they preach terribly well.”
by cornishpasty, kernow
Friday, November 07 2008, 1:55PM
“'' installation of the WIND TURBINE is so they DON'T have to use power from the mains!''.........
silly me, a blonde moment there!”
by cornishpasty, kernow
Friday, November 07 2008, 1:53PM
“Maybe your getting confused. A theme park is a park that has a theme, and Edens theme is to promote the environment, renewable energy and recycling. Yes they have buildings with steel, those domes are pretty big and heavy. yes they use electric, but what 1 organisation that helps save the world doesn't?? Their original plans of building the domes with recyclable toilet rolls were turned down for health and safety issues! Yes they use electricity for the ice skating rink but the installation of the WIND TURBINE is so they have to use power from the mains!”
by jimbo, kernow
Friday, November 07 2008, 1:24PM
“You must realise that Eden is a Theme Park, not an environmental centre. It builds structures (using lots of galvanized steel), uses electricity for its skating rink, and needs a turbine to prevent losses to its future profit. Let's not confuse issues. Cheers.”
by cornishpasty, kernow
Friday, November 07 2008, 10:40AM
“Sad people. In favour of renewable energy but don't want it on their doorstep. What message is this sending out to their children??!! From someone who has lived next to a number of wind turbines for years now, i find them no distraction to my everyday and night life, they make no noise, they don't block out the sun and if anything, when i open my curtains in the morning and see a field of tubines creating renewable energy i think ''yes, maybe we are heading in the right direction''! The people at this protest are sad and only thinking about themselves! I bet they wouldn't moan if one was erected by them that would reduce their energy bill by half!!!”
by J washington, stenalees
Thursday, November 06 2008, 11:26PM
“The wind turbine will be of minimal disruption to most flicker will be minimal, noise well come on folks we all live near a main road and pollution this is the CLAY county.”
by Harvey, Portsmouth
Thursday, October 30 2008, 7:07PM
“When will people get the message that windpower is an option, not a solution or even a substitution? Other forms of power generation will be needed to cover for those times when the wind doesn't blow, etc. That means building not just the wind turbines, but other infrastructure as well. So, how will you explain to those poorest in the community who, like everyone else, will have to pay for the additional infrastructure via their electricity bills. Windpower has a place, but it is not the solution.”
by colin bannon, plymouth
Thursday, October 30 2008, 6:39PM
“Well done Eden! However as well as cleaner generation we need to reduce our energy consumption by a large amount. So this can only be seen as the start of the changes we have to make to survive. Once fossil fuel gets scarce, and climate change bites further we will, even using all the clean power we can generate at the moment, have to get by using about 15% of the energy we use at the moment. Every aspect of life will change from the end of ironing and many other needless causes of consumption of energy to a far more locally based lifestyle ending the dominance of our society by cars..
If we do not lead in making these changes in the same was as we led in creating the problem in the first place the it seems the world will become a very ugly place over the next few decades. How many of our children will survive not known.
Good luck to the turbine - it is only the very beginning of the new renewable world of clean production and much less consumption of electricity.
Don't be fooled by the ill informed who want us to think it will all be fine - unless we and the whole world change rapidly, it won't!”
by Mathew, Switzerland
Thursday, October 30 2008, 5:30PM
“It's very interesting reading all this, and very interesting reading all the comments - for and against. It's really good to see a proper debate and not having ago at one another.
Anyway, I visited a place in Switzerland where they have a few wind turbines. My German isn't great - but it sounded like it isn't possible to put these turbines in Switzerland because the wind just isn't very good in the few locations where it can practically harvested. So if you have a chance to embrace it then perhaps you should.”