LETTER: Anti-wind turbine brigade are using scare tactics

The fear, bluster and rubbish that is speed from the raging mouth of the NIMBY movement of the anti-wind turbine brigade has been clearly published for all to read in recent times.

I would like the opportunity to respond to a few of the claims published in the article and to claims generally made to mislead people about the effect of wind turbines or should that be scare tactics.

1. The turbines in question at Harwes Farm are small scale, not “industrial”. They are 34m to the blade tip and as such are not as tall as Big Ben as has been claimed in the past.

2. If, as Mr Schofield claims, £70m is brought by tourism to Pendle, I very much doubt any turbines at Black Lane Ends will affect this. There is no proof tourism is affected by a few wind turbines.

3. Mr Cornthwaite’s comments are wildly inaccurate. At 350m away, the distances to houses are actually generous. There are guide lines which we have to follow about locations for wind turbines.

4. Wildlife will not be affected. On a recent trip to Coal Clough wind farm at Burnley, I found no dead birds or wildlife of any other kind.

5. People give little credit to nature for adapting to a static object. I can show plenty of photos proving horses are not bothered by wind turbines. This claim is baseless and reflects on the owners not the animals.

6. Coun. Ken Hartley, “unbelievably struck by remorse”. Really? I could maybe understand his remorse if a fracking station had just gone up and was blasting the foundations of Pendle Hill to smithereens to extract gas or perhaps for a nuclear power station or waste dump. But for wind turbines? Maybe he should look the other way when Hitachi come marching across the hills with new pylons to transmit their nuclear energy!

7. Coun. John David. When and where did he make wind turbines, please? We haven’t got a steel plant big enough to roll the towers in the UK for “big turbines” so it would be interesting to know more about his history!

8. We need to secure local energy production. Why? Because we will pay huge prices for European energy, that’s why our bills are going up now.

I would like to invite anyone that has any fears or objections to view the Endurance E-3120 for themselves at a site near Huddersfield to satisfy them of scale of the turbine. Just give me a ring or email me at Ripam Agri Ltd.

JON ROCHE

Director, Ripam Agri Ltd