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Frodsham and Helsby campaign group set up to protest against Peel Energy wind turbine proposals Dec 17 2009 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

PROTESTERS have launched a campaign against Peel Energy’s £50m wind farm proposal on Frodsham Marshes. The group of six residents, backed by former Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall and now Graham Evans, have set up a protest group – Residents Against the Wind Farm (RAW) – and have launched a website – www.rawindfarm.com

They are Frodsham residents Roger Young, Gordon Bell, Dr Kath Gee and town councillor Tony Hinkins, and Helsby residents Prof John Dearden and Roger Maher. The group is chaired by Roger Young, a retired main board director of the Greenall Group, who aims to highlight the potential impact of Peel’s proposal for 21 wind turbines and ‘ensure the feelings and views of local people are heard’. He said: “I imagine Peel are going to put in for planning.

But, because of the size and scale of this wind farm, it will be heard and decided by central government and there’s a danger that local interests and understanding will not be considered in addition to all the technical planning stuff.” “When I first heard about this proposal I was not against it. It was only when I saw the size of these massive 125m high turbines, the fact that they were going on this valuable bit of Green Belt land – a vital lung between big industrial complexes at Stanlow and Runcorn – and they would be so close to so many houses, that I realised how awful it was. “I started reading up on it and also realised how inefficient wind farms really are.

“We are all in favour of renewable energy sources, but we are strongly opposed to this proposal. It would be less than 1km from houses and this site is also an important wetland area for many species of birds. “The turbines would be noisy and flicker day and night, affecting local residents and drivers on the M56. “This is clearly a lousy site for a big wind farm. We’ve got to ensure we ask all the right questions throughout the planning process.” Mr Young is urging residents to visit the RAW website and sign the 10 Downing Street e-petition they will find there, urging the Prime Minister to bring English law in line with that in Scotland for a minimum distance of 2Km between wind farms and residential areas.

The UN climate change summit in Copenhagen is looking for renewable energy projects that don’t harm the environment and Peel Energy believes its proposal specifically addresses this. Richard Dibley, development manager, told The Chronicle recently: “This is an important piece of infrastructure that will help tackle climate change.”

 Weaver Vale MP urging residents to have their say on Frodsham wind farm Sep 22 2011by Rachel Flint, Chester Chronicle

RESIDENTS are being urged to stand up and have their say as the deadline approaches for the decision to build a ‘giant’ wind farm in Frodsham.

At a pre-inquiry meeting last Wednesday evening residents and campaigners met to find out about how the long awaited inquiry into Peel Energy’s application will be carried out.

Now Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans is urging all residents living in the shadow of the wind farm across Frodsham, Helsby, and Alvanley to join forces and attend the upcoming inquiry to fight the proposed farm on Frodsham Marshes.

Mr Evans said it was great to see such a strong turnout at the meeting and he hoped to see more residents at the inquiry in November.

He said: “The inquiry hearings are open to the public and I hope that local residents are able to show the strength of feeling in Frodsham and Helsby by attending the sessions.

“I have registered to speak at the inquiry and I am still keen to hear the views of local residents on the matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me.”

Frodsham mayor Cllr Andrew Dawson, who will be representing residents’ views and concerns during the inquiry, said all parties, including Cheshire West and Chester Council and Residents Against the Wind Farm, were working together.

During the pre-inquiry meeting it was confirmed the public inquiry will begin on Tuesday, November 22, from 10am at the Holiday Inn, Runcorn.

Wind Farms are useless, says Duke.

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones9:30PM GMT 19 Nov 2011

WRONG kind of WIND blamed for renewable red-ink FAIL

It doesn’t blow, it sucks By Andrew Orlowski • Get more from this author
Posted in Environment, 22nd March 2011 16:46 GMT
Windfarm operator the Renewable Energy Generation Group has blamed “abnormally low wind speeds” across the UK for greater-than-expected losses.   The, er, REG Group acquired Cornwall Wind and Power in 2005, and now operates 10 wind power sites with a (theoretical) capacity of 41.15MW. It is quoted on AIM, the London Stock Exchange’s international market for smaller growing companies.

Losses before tax rose to £1.9m, up from £400,000 in the corresponding six-month period a year ago. In a statement, it blamed “abnormally low wind speeds” for “over £1m of lost EBITDA”. The full results are here.   Despite the bullish statements, the wind industry remains vulnerable on Government kindness, in the shape of feed-in tariffs (FITs). FITs are a form of wholesale price-fixing, introduced to stimulate investment in new energy sources. If consumers’ desire for cheap energy was allowed to be met by the market, it would lift millions of poor people out of fuel poverty. But then wind farms wouldn’t be economical at all.   It’s a uniquely inefficient technology. Windmills must be shut down if the wind blows too hard. And, quite often during the December cold snap, wind plants used more electricity than they generated – just when the electricity was needed the most. (Electricity is drawn from the grid for yaw control, lighting, de-icing, pumps and to power the control mechanisms.) Read More……..

Peel Drops bombshell for Campaigners

Plans to build bigger wind turbines on Frodsham Marshes could have a negative impact on residents, say campaigners

Sep 15 2011by Rachel Flint, Chester Chronicle

PLANS to increase the size of ‘giant’ turbines on Frodsham Marshes will ‘blot out the landscape’ and ‘cast a shadow across hundreds of homes’, say campaigners.

The changes to Peel Energy’s application came as campaigners, residents and developers met at a pre-inquiry meeting last night (Wednesday) at the Holiday Inn in Runcorn to register their interests before the upcoming public inquiry.

Campaigners battling the wind farm are outraged with changes to the original application, which could see the size of the individual turbines increase from a width of 90m to 100m.

In the amendments recently published on the developer’s website, Peel Energy removed one of the 20 turbines – the one closest to Weston Point and Weston Village – after concerns were raised by the RSPB and Natural England.

Peel is also considering changing the type of turbine following a noise survey in 2010 when CWaC suggested that the developers chose The Alstom Wind ECO 100 3MW. This is a quieter turbine, but would increase the turbine rotor diameter from 90m to 100m and reduce the hub height from 80m to 75m.

But campaigners say that these changes are just to ‘sweeten’ planning officers before the public inquiry and are in direct conflict with the concerns, views and wishes of residents living in the shadow of the turbines.

Spokesperson for Residents Against the Windfarm (Raw) Tony Hinkins said that the proposed changes were like ‘a slap in the face’ of the local residents as the turbines would be ‘bigger than ever before’.

“They have done it to work around a noise objection from CWaC which they have decided to overcome by fitting a bigger turbine which doesn’t have the same noise levels,” he said.

“They have removed one of the turbines to address concerns raised by the RSPB, but this is the one which is furthest away from residents. They have done nothing to address residents issues regarding the other turbines and are actually making things worse than ever for them.”

But David Hardman, co-chairman of pro-wind farm pressure group Residents Encouraging the Use of Sustainable Energy (Reuse) said residents should be focusing on the reduction in height, not the widening of the turbines.

“The reduction in height is a very positive change if the amendments come about. It is obviously a better thing,” said Mr Hardman.

“The bottom line is if the turbines are lower they should be more acceptable to people.”

A spokesperson for Peel Energy said: “The turbine at the confluence of the Weaver and Manchester Ship Canal was removed from the scheme following extensive discussions and site visits with Natural England and RSPB, as well as other local ecological groups.”

But the developers denied that the dimensions of the turbines would change saying: “A turbine with a larger rotor diameter was considered in the noise modelling to support the discussions with CWaC’s environmental health officers but consent for these turbines is not being sought.”

Campaigners call on residents to unite against plans for a giant wind farm in Frodsham

Jun 29 2011by Rachel Flint, Chester Chronicle

CAMPAIGNERS are calling on residents to fight against a giant wind farm which will cast a shadow “as high as Frodsham hill” across thousands of homes.

The call comes after the dates for the long awaited public inquiry into Peel Energy’s proposal to build 20 turbines on Frodsham Marshes were announced for November this year.

Campaigners are now calling on residents to unite against the turbines which they say will release toxic gas into the atmosphere, slaughter thousands of bats and birds, and even induce migraines and epileptic fits.

Prof John Dearden, from campaign group Residents Against The Wind farm (RAW) said that residents must voice their opinions to stop the detrimental plans becoming reality during the inquiry.

“There is a very strong feeling against the Wind Farm in the community which is due to a number of reasons,” said Prof Dearden.

“There will be a massive visual impact as the turbines will be almost as high as Frodsham hill, meaning that the tens of thousands of people will be living in their shadow.

“The noise they create is also a massive concern, in other places where they have been build people have been driven out of their homes by the noise, which can cause severe migraines and can be very distracting.

“The speed that the turbines move can also cause migraines and in rare cases induce epileptic fits, while thousands of birds and bats can be killed by the tips of the blades which are moving at around 190 miles an hour.”

Prof Dearden has been joined in his campaign by MP for Weaver Vale Graham Evans who expressed his hope that residents would register to attend the inquiry and over throw the proposals.

The announcement comes just days after a series of meetings for residents to voice what they want the £1.25million Community Benefit Fund, which Peel will present to surrounding communities if the proposals get the go ahead, to be spent on. Both Frodsham, Helsby and Cheshire West and Chester Council continue to object to the proposals, but to date Halton Haven have voiced no objections. The public inquiry will be help from November 22 to December 23 2011, residents are asked to register their interests during a pre-inquiry meeting on September 14. All meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn, Runcorn.

Officials cover up wind farm noise report From The Sunday Times December 13, 2009 Lord Hunt Reply 26 Nov09 Final

Civil servants have suppressed warnings that wind turbines can generate noise damaging people’s health for several square miles around. The guidance from consultants indicated that the sound level permitted from spinning blades and gearboxes had been set so high — 43 decibels — that local people could be disturbed whenever the wind blew hard. The noise was also thought likely to disrupt sleep.

The report said the best way to protect locals was to cut the maximum permitted noise to 38 decibels, or 33 decibels if the machines created discernible “beating” noises as they spun. It has now emerged that officials removed the warnings from the draft report in 2006 by Hayes McKenzie Partnership (HMP), the consultants.

The final version made no mention of them. It means that hundreds of turbines at wind farms in Britain have been allowed to generate much higher levels of noise, sparking protests from people living near them.

Among those affected is Jane Davis, 53, a retired National Health Service manager, who has had to abandon her home because of the noise. It lies half a mile from the Deeping St Nicholas wind farm in south Lincolnshire whose eight turbines began operating in 2006. “Our problems started three days after the turbines went up and they’ve carried on ever since. It’s like having helicopters going over the top of you at times — on a bad night it’s like three or four helicopters circling around,” she said. “We abandoned our home. We rent a house about five miles away — this is our fourth Christmas out of our own home. We couldn’t sleep. It is torture — my GP describes it as torture. Three hours of sleep a night is torture.”

The HMP report was commissioned by the business department whose responsibilities for wind power have since been taken over by Ed Miliband’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The decision to stick with existing noise limits became official guidance for local authorities ruling on planning applications from wind farm developers. It has also been used by ministers and officials to support the view that there was no need to revise official wind farm noise guidelines and that erecting turbines near homes posed no threat to people’s health and wellbeing. In 2007 Mike Hulme of the Den Brook Judicial Review Group, a band of residents opposing a wind turbine development close to their houses in Devon, submitted a Freedom of Information request asking to see all draft versions of the study.

Officials refused the request, claiming it was not in the public interest for them to be released. Hulme appealed to the information commissioner’s office, which has ordered Miliband’s department to release the documents. The drafts show the HMP originally recommended that the night-time wind turbine noise limit should be reduced from 43 decibels to 38, or 33 if they made any kind of swishing or beating noise — known as “aerodynamic modulation”.

The HMP researchers had based their recommendations on evidence. They took noise measurements at houses close to three wind farms: Askam in Cumbria, Bears Down in Cornwall and Blaen Bowi in Carmarthenshire. They found that the swish-swish signature noise of turbines was significantly greater around most wind farms than had been foreseen by the authors of the existing government guidelines, which date from 1996.

They also found that the beating sound is particularly disruptive at night, when other background noise levels are lower, as it can penetrate walls. In their draft report the HMP researchers recommended that “Consideration be given to a revision of the night-time absolute noise criterion”, noting that this would fit with World Health Organisation recommendations on sleep disturbance. However, an anonymous government official then inserted remarks attacking this idea because it would impede wind farm development. He, or she, wrote: “What will the impact of this be? Are we saying that this is the situation for all wind farms … I think we need a sense of the scale of this and the impact.”

The final report removed any suggestion of cutting the noise limits or adding any further penalty if turbines generated a beating noise — and recommended local authorities to stick to the 1996 guidelines. Hulme said: “This demonstrates the conflict of interests in DECC, because it has the responsibility for promoting wind farm development while also having responsibility for the wind farm noise guidance policy … meant to protect local residents.” Ron Williams, 74, a retired lecturer, lives half a mile from the Wharrels Hill wind farm in Cumbria. He has been forced to use sleeping pills since its eight turbines began operating in 2007. “The noise we get is the gentle swish swish swish, non-stop, incessant, all night,” he said. “It’s like a Chinese torture. In winter, when the sun is low in the sky, it goes down behind the turbines and causes flickering shadows coming into the room. “It’s like somebody shining car headlights at your window … on and off, on and off. It affects us all. It’s terrible. Absolutely horrible.” Lynn Hancock, 45, runs a garden maintenance business. She has suffered disruption since 2007 when the 12-turbine Red Tile wind farm began operating several hundred yards from her Cambridgeshire home. “Imagine a seven-ton lorry left running on the drive all night and that’s what it’s like,” she said. “People describe it as like an aeroplane or a helicopter or a train that never arrives. It’s like it’s coming but it never gets here.” Such problems are likely to increase. Britain has 253 land-based wind farms generating 3.5 gigawatts, but this is expected to double or even triple by 2020 to help to meet targets for cutting CO2 emissions.

BNP leader Nick Griffin speaks out against wind farm proposed for Frodsham and Helsby Marshes Dec 10 2009 by Paul Mannion.

Chester Chronicle BNP leader Nick Griffin has condemned plans to build a 21-turbine wind farm on Frodsham and Helsby Marshes in a political TV programme. The far-right group’s figurehead – who will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in his role as North West MEP – appeared on the BBC Politics Show aired on Sunday and attacked Peel Energy’s plans.

“I would not be happy about this if I lived in Frodsham,” said Mr Griffin. “I don’t think wind farms should be built anywhere. “Wind power is inefficient. “We should be building nuclear power stations and getting into deep wave energy and not wasting time and money on wind farms, but there are all sorts of vested interests here.” In the same programme, fellow North West MEP, Chris Davies, of the Liberal Democrats, said the proposed site could ‘tolerate’ a wind farm. “Wind power has a part to play but so much depends on location,” he said, adding that he knew the area well.

“A lot of it comes down to personal perception and I think people, ultimately, should be the ones who make the decision.” Resident Andrew Basden, a member of Friends of the Earth, was featured extolling the virtues of wind power, said: “In the 20 years I’ve lived in Frodsham overlooking the marshes, I’ve always thought it would be a great place for a wind farm. “I’d love to see some turbines there generating power for Frodsham and Helsby. “It’s a lovely view, but it’s industry that helps to make the view.” Frodsham town councillor Tony Hinkins – who has launched a www.rawindfarm.com, a website to go with his personal campaign against the towering turbines – said: “Nick Griffin and Chris Davies seemed very well informed on the issue and I was pleased they both appeared to agree that wind energy is a sideshow and that nuclear energy is strategically more important.”

Wind turbine noise rules are outdated, say campaigners Thursday, 26 November 2009 – BBC News The government urgently needs to update its guidance on how local authorities should assess the impact of noise from wind turbines, campaigners have said.

Environmental Protection UK say turbines are now so large, the noise generated by the turning blades can affect those living nearby. The pressure group believes that changes in technology are not being reflected in the current guidelines. The government says it is continuing research into the impact of noise. Environmental Protection UK campaigns to minimise noise pollution – as well as reducing air pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. It is supported by the UK government, Environment Agency and Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Read More

Wind farm buffer zones plan backed Nov 16 2009

 By Chester Chronicle SUPPORTERS and opponents of plans to build wind farms in Cheshire will have been keen spectators of a heated debate in the House of Commons. Peter Luff MP introduced a ten-minute rule bill on the proximity of wind turbines to homes which has gained backing from Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall and Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien. The bill, which is not expected to become law but may be considered by future government, is designed to create a 2km ‘buffer-zone’ around any 125m commercial wind turbines. If the recommendation was included in future legislation, then developers proposing 21 turbines at Frodsham Marshes, five at Bickerton and five at Rushton, near Tarporley, would have to rethink plans.

Stop Bickerton Wind Turbines protest group chairman Mike Voisey said: “I think it is exactly the way to go. “The fact of the matter is that wind turbines are noisy. It’d be like living next to a noisy family – they would get an ASBO! It’s the only logical way forward, we are 100% behind Peter Luff.” Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Andrew Miller described the ten minute rule bill as: “A vehicle to flag up an issue and put down a marker, on a cross party basis, to the government that this is something we have to address.” He added: “There are very controversial issues that come from the Frodsham Marshes plans such as noise, visual amenity and value of property.” It is also understood that the bill has drawn support from wind farm developers as it would provide authorities with clarity over location issues and consequently speed up the planning process. The first reading of the bill took place in the Commons on Friday November 6. BILL WOULD FORCE RETHINKS AT FRODSHAM, BICKERTON AND RUSHTON Nov 12 2009 Chester Chronicle.

SUPPORTERS and opponents of plans to build wind farms in Cheshire will have been keen spectators of a heated debate in the House of Commons. Peter Luff MP introduced a 10-minute rule bill on the proximity of wind turbines to homes, which has gained backing from Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall and Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien. The bill, which is not expected to become law but may be considered by future government, is designed to create a 2km ‘buffer-zone’ around any 125m commercial wind turbines. If the recommendation was included in future legislation, then developers proposing 21 turbines at Frodsham Marshes, five at Bickerton and five at Rushton, near Tarporley, would have to rethink plans. Stop Bickerton Wind Turbines protest group chairman Mike Voisey said: “I think it is exactly the way to go. “The fact of the matter is wind turbines are noisy. It’d be like living next to a noisy family – they would get an ASBO! It’s the only logical way forward, we are 100% behind Peter Luff.” Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Andrew Miller described the 10 minute rule bill as “A vehicle to flag up an issue and put down a marker, on a cross party basis, to the government that this is something we have to address”. He added: “There are very controversial issues that come from the Frodsham Marshes plans such as noise, visual amenity and value of property.” It is also understood that the bill has drawn support from wind farm developers as it would provide authorities with clarity over location issues and consequently speed up the planning process.

THE WIND JOBS DELUSION Highly publicised claims by Ed Miliband, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, that offshore wind projects could “create up to 70,000 new jobs” are being exposed at every turn for what they are: political wishful thinking.

Recently, there were press reports on the failure of the London Ahe study. Officials rent. The chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses in Thanet, had said that that dream had faded with the decision to outsource manufacturing and assembly to overseas companies, leaving just a few maintenance and support jobs for local people. ¹ Now we read that the 140 turbine Greater Gabbard project off the Norfolk coast, the biggest offshore project in the world until the London Array is built, is being held up by faulty welding on its Chinese turbine towers. ² The first of the turbine towers was due to be sunk into the sea bed this year, but sources say the project – hailed as a cornerstone of DECC’s (Department of Energy and Climate Change) green policy – now faces months of delays. Chinese workers have now been flown in to Holland, where the turbines are being assembled, to remedy the problems. It is reported that ferrying the 180,000 tonnes of steel tower parts 4,500 miles will have an environmental cost of 27,000 tonnes of CO2. German engineering firm Siemens is not only supplying the 3.6MW turbines but has also been given the £66 million contract to connect the scheme to the grid. Dieter Helm (Professor of Energy Policy at the University of Oxford), the CBI and others have long been saying that the excessive costs of wind generated power may have the unintended effect of accelerating the export of what remains of our metallurgical and manufacturing industries to countries such as China and India, where coal is dominant and environmental protection is less rigorous. ³ ————————– ¹ ‘Wind farm jobs prove to be so much hot air’, Kent Online – Business, 4 September, 2009. ² ‘Broken wind’, The Sun, 18 September 2009. ³ ‘Don’t Blow our £100 Billion on Wind Power’, The Times, July 17, 2009.

Some other stories from around the UK. By Julian Whittle   Last updated at 09:40, Friday, 23 October 2009

Cumbrian villagers will become sleep-deprived zombies if a proposed windfarm goes head, a public inquiry heard.   An artist’s impression of how the proposed turbines would look at Newlands Farm Bolsterstone Innovative Energy is appealing against refusal of planning consent for three 377ft-high turbines at Newlands Farm, Cumwhinton.

The planning application last year was one of the most controversial ever handled by Carlisle City Council. The inquiry at the Civic Centre heard from residents opposed to the scheme. Maureen Blenkinsop-Higginbotham claimed the turbines could cause sleep disturbance, headaches, tinnitus, vertigo, nausea, rapid heart beat, irritability, problems with concentration and panic attacks. She said: “These symptoms have been classified as wind-turbine syndrome. “Cumwhinton will end up full of zombies on the sick. We will be unable to move away from our homes because they will be unsaleable.” John Mallinson, of Holme Meadow, Cumwhinton, argued that in most of Europe turbines were not allowed within 1,500m of residential property. David Morton, who lives 700m from the site, said: “We have been unable to locate any other windfarm scheme in the UK so close to so many residential properties. “The entire village is within 1,500m of the turbines – 175 homes plus the school.” Colin Stamper, of Cringles Farm, would be 420m from the nearest turbine.

He was particularly worried about the flicker effect of sunlight through the blades. “Imagine someone flicking a light on and off in your house constantly,” he said. This flicker effect was illustrated in a video from Ron Williams who lives 800m from a windfarm at Bothel. He described the “relentless and repetitive swish-swish noise as “mental torture”. Earlier, planning inspector Paul Griffiths, who is chairing the inquiry, said the main issues he would consider were whether there would be harm to the landscape or living conditions of residents, and if that harm was outweighed by the benefits of renewable energy.

The inquiry heard from Stuart Galpin, a landscape architect appearing for the city council, who argued that the windfarm would have a “major adverse impact”. But under cross examination he struggled to justify his claims or name locations from where the site could be seen. Planning consultant Lydia Lewis, also appearing for the council, said the turbines would have a “serious and adverse visual impact”. And Carl Taylor, a landscape architect appearing for the Action Against Newlands Wind Farm, argued the turbines would have a “significant and adverse effect” on countryside.

Bolsterstone’s experts disputed those arguments. Landscape architect James Welch said the visual effects would be “limited” while town planner Richard Woodford argued there was a “clear and urgent need” for more windfarms to meet Government targets for renewable energy. There would be an impact on “a number of properties” – in some cases significant – but overall planning policies favoured the windfarm. He added: “This is a scheme of national significance and will help in achieving renewable-energy targets.” City councillors refused planning consent – against the advice of planning officers – on the grounds that the turbines would be “seriously detrimental” to the landscape.

But Bolsterstone’s barrister, Vincent Fraser QC, said: “It is quite clear the sorts of impacts being made are not sufficient to outweigh the benefits.” The inquiry was due to end this week but will sit for one day next month because so many objectors wanted to speak. It is also hearing an appeal against refusal of a separate planning application for a meteorological mast. First published at 05:18, Friday, 23 October 2009 Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk