Does size really matter?

In some sectors of society, it clearly does. Yet some of these people clearly use the “size” issue when it suits them most and then choose to ignore it when it does matter.

Take wind turbines, for example. They range in size from 300W through to 5mw and from 4m up to 126m high.

However, those against wind energy tar them all with the same old brush, ignoring the size of each turbine and the fact careful consideration is given to each site. Turbines cannot go just anywhere as their size is one of the limiting factors!

So, it seems only fair to say a balanced debate would be a good thing to have and one I would welcome.

However, I am 6ft 2in. tall and would not want someone to feel inadequate in my presence if they were a short person. So to balance things up and make it fair, I shall leave my soap box at home if the debate took place publicly.

Using some initiative, I decided to look up Owen Oliver on the Internet. Goodness Google me, it was plain to see I had 43,100,000 results for one man!

Just which one of those 43,100,000 Owen Olivers are you, Mr Oliver?

As for Chris Taylor, he isn’t even on the Pendle Council website as he is a parish councillor.

So, I extend my invitation yet again for you decent chaps to come along to my office for a friendly chat.

I will provide equal size cups of tea and equal size biscuits so nobody feels hard done by.

I would prefer councillors that make decisions on applications for wind turbines to have an informed opinion rather than trying to justify why not to have them based on the little they know about them.

I have invited them and others on many occasions to discuss wind energy. Sadly they cannot be bothered, although Coun. Paul White did come to see one turbine and dismissed wind as “Pendle Council don’t get any money from small scale wind”, unlike fracking “where we get 100% of the business rates”.

So destructive and environmentally poisonous gas extraction is preferred, it seems, as it will pay Pendle Council to approve it.

I don’t recall being at any planning meetings with regard to other wind turbine applications, so just how did I insult the committee?

My size limits my ability to be in two places at the same time. However, no doubt Mr Oliver can recruit someone for me to act on my behalf. What was your company called again?

The wind will always be behind me even when I face the silliness of classic nimbyism.

Thankfully, all the nimbys are down wind and the smell of their objections rarely lasts longer than a few hours!

Jon Roche

Director of Ripam Agri Ltd