|
TIVETSHALL ACTION GROUP |
|
Say NO to Turbines in Tivetshall. |
|
Yes, they really are this big!
In fact the turbines proposed are 125m or 412 ft in height to the blade tip. The rotor blades are 90m in diameter and fit on a hub some 80m above ground level.
|
|
About Us & LATEST NEWS |
|
An Action Group has been formed to co-ordinate opposition to the Tivetshall Wind Turbine development proposals. Action Group members include: Eric & Claire Kirby (01379 677373), Donald Carmichael (01379 608681), Ros Hill (01379 676591 evenings & weekends) Chris Eve / Jane Gooden (01379 676067) Mike & Zena Tinsley (01379 741467) and any of these may be contacted should you have any queries or should you require any assistance in responding to SNDC or Planning Inspectorate to record your own opposition to the proposals. TAG also be reached by email on enquiries@tivetshallactiongroup.com This web site aims at providing up to date information for the local community to assist them in contributing to the principle aim of the Group…...TO OPPOSE THIS WINDFARM DEVELOPMENT WITHIN TIVETSHALL due to the totally unacceptable choice of location and its impact on the Village, surrounding villages, landscape, ecology, archaeology, amenity and use of public footpaths and bridleways. |
|
LATEST NEWS UPDATE
The web page is now up and running, subject to ongoing tweaks and adjustments. You can now also email TAG with any queries, ideas or advice on: enquiries@tivetshallactiongroup.com We have added a link to the Dickleburgh Parish Council web site which carries information provided by our neighbouring Action Group “4Villages” (4V) fighting similar wind farm development proposals on the old Pulham airfield (Vaunces Farm) site by another developer and land-owner just a mile or so east of Tivetshall. Yes, wind farms are contagious! There was jubilation earlier this year when the developer for this site (SLP) withdrew their application and everyone hoped that was the end of this second local proposal. However, another developer (TCI) has now applied for a scoping opinion for 3 turbines on the same site which will be objected to most strongly by members of 4V Action Group and to which TAG will also be opposing bearing in mind this proposal will mean a combined cluster of 9 turbines spanning the A140 and visible to all surrounding villages. An application for a meteorological test mast on the Vaunces Farm site is currently with SNDC for consideration and again many local people have objected. The number of objection letters sent to South Norfolk Planning Dept exceeded 300 relative to the recently refused planning application to erect a test mast at Tivetshall to measure wind speed . Thank you all for your support to preserve our countryside and our living environment. Your continued help was again called upon relative to Enertrag’s appeal to this refusal which has now been subsequently and unfortunately upheld by the Inspector in his decision of 12th January 2009. Enertrag stated that their selected sites at Hempnall and Tivetshall had been carefully chosen in view of their specific suitability for the placement of wind turbines due to their preferred situation with regard to potential air traffic disturbance, wind availability and general environment. It is more likely they were approached by land-owners taking the opportunity for a diversified income stream and nothing to do with “suitability of the site”. They seem to have missed the point that Norwich Airport has lodged an objection on safety grounds and that the site contains potential Roman and Medieval artefacts and well-used public rights of way and a thriving ecology. However, they did state they would relocate individual turbine locations to miss any historic locations if necessary following a “desk-top” study as part of the EIA. So much for their specific selection of this site. On the question of wildlife preservation, Enertrag confirmed this was again “catered for” by a study already commissioned and underway by ECON (Norwich Research Park), in the form of an ecological report being prepared. They had apparently already undertaken a winter period study during 2007 and this would be followed by a similar study during Spring and Summer 2008. Have any of you ramblers, dog-walkers and horse-riders seen evidence of these people stalking our fields as long ago as the winter of 2007—no, neither have we. However, since Enertrag’s recent “Exhibition” within Tivetshall (12/06/08) we have encountered the odd survey visit although those engaged on these surveys have confirmed they are restricted in carrying our complete studies (of the bat population for example) due to budget constraints preventing night surveys. Did they not realise you don’t see many bats flying during the day? The question of continued use of public rights of way was not considered a problem by Enertrag—the area would need to be closed “for safety reasons” when the turbines were being erected by crane and this would only take a couple of days per turbine. However, the fact that construction of the very considerable turbine foundations and service roads etc., and that overall completion would take approximately 6-8 months was not considered a problem by Enertrag, even though the main construction access point was confirmed as Yarmouth Dock (A47), A140 south and turn right into Moor Road, Shimpling with vehicles of some 45m length under escort, and directly through the gates into the site (Patten Lane) which is itself a bridleway and footpath. Would you wish to walk your dog or ride your horse in this construction site environment? The truth is you will not be able to safely access these footpaths or bridleways during the construction period for the area will be securely contained for safety reasons. We were also assured that photographic montages of the proposed development site would be produced, from any view point required, which would apparently allay our fears of the visual impact of these 125m high turbines on the landscape that we currently enjoy—the general view was that we liked it as it was thank you. LEAVE OUR LANDSCAPE ALONE. SNDC Planning Officers issued their Scoping Opinion Response to Enertrag (UK) Ltd listing all aspects to be included with any subsequent planning application for the six turbines proposed. This is provided for information on a separate page on this web site—a well structured and comprehensive response in our view—let’s hope that Enertrag’s EIA will do it justice in providing the in-depth study called for—WE SHALL BE EXAMINING IT CLOSELY ONCE RECEIVED—AS AT JUNE 2009, WE ARE STILL AWAITING ITS ISSUE. The SNDC Planning Committee met on the evening of 22/04/08 in regard to the full planning application for the 60m test mast and this was unanimously rejected on the grounds of failure to comply with ENV 1 (Visual Intrusion of the Landscape) and ENV8 (Development in the open countryside). It was also considered that the potential over-riding requirements of PPS22 and UTL13 (in favour of sustainable development in the National interest) did not apply, as this application was submitted as a stand-alone development which provided no renewable (or any) energy arising from its use and was not deemed to be linked to any subsequent wind turbine development, discussions upon which objectors were not permitted to put forward—they can’t have it both ways! Well done to all who supported our cause and thank you. That was only round-one and we did not expect Enertrag to up sticks and disappear—that is not the way of wind farm development speculators. They quickly submitted their appeal against refusal for the test mast (18/06/08) and are also proceeding with preparations for their full Planning application for the 6 turbines anyway once they have completed the necessary Environmental Impact Assessment—and they had declared that this application will be made by late 2008—This now appears to have slipped and hopefully arises from the delay in obtaining permission for the test mast and which was upheld by their appeal with a decision published by the Inspectorate 12th January 2009. Enertrag now suggest a Planning Application will be made in June 2009 but no sign of this yet! Test Mast Erected Well, a 50m meteorological test mast (not 60m as applied for) to measure wind speed / direction was erected today 25th February 2009 and will remain in place, say Enertrag, for up to 3 years. The photograph below was taken with a 70mm lens at some 1000m distance and clearly shows this blot on the landscape which Enertrag tried to convince everyone would be “unobtrusive” in the overall view—rubbish. People should bear in mind the 125m turbines proposed will be some 2½ times taller than the test mast and will have a 4m diameter turbine tower compared with the 200mm section of the test mast erected—and of course the turbine blades will be rotating (some of the time).
|
|
Sorry about the size of this picture but you can copy and expand if you wish.
It demonstrates the relative size of a 125m turbine with Hempnall Church and other everyday things like trees and cars to scale—frightening (re-produced from the Hempnall website).
Refer to SHOWT; the Hempnall Action Group established to oppose Enertrag’s turbine proposals for this South Norfolk area of natural beauty where their Planning Application has now been lodged and is being actively opposed.
Please held with the Hempnall Campaign if you can—they have similar problems to us opposing this further development proposed by Enertrag. Where will the next application be made—in your village?
Congratulations to all those working for SHOWT and the residents of Hempnall on the refusal by South Norfolk District Council Planning Committee on 5th August 2008 to grant Enertrag (UK) Ltd planning permission for the erection of seven 125m turbines on the outskirts of this South Norfolk village.
WELL DONE TO ALL AND THE BEST OF LUCK WITH THE APPEAL AGAINST THIS DECISION BY ENERTRAG DUE IN APRIL 2009
STOP-PRESS
IT APPEARS ENERTRAG ARE TRYING TO HAVE THIS FULL PLANNING ENQUIRY DELAYED NOW UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2009, PRESUMABLY TO ENABLE THEM TO STREGNTHEN THEIR CASE |
