‘Turbines Won’t Save Planet’ Say Windfarm Opponents

Protesters say plans to put up eight giant wind turbines on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds will destroy an otherwise unblemished area of countryside.

Renewable energy company Enertrag UK wants to create a wind farm close to Baumber, between Wragby and Horncastle.

But villagers are fighting the proposals, saying the 125m tall turbines are too big and would dominate the skyline of one of the county’s most unspoilt locations.

They could even be visible from Lincoln.

Stark red “no wind farm” posters can be seen along the A158 and throughout the villages of Minting, Baumber and Wispington.

Melvin Grosvenor, chairman of the Baumber Wind Farm Action Group, an organisation set up in February, said the proposed site for the wind farm, on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, was totally unsuitable.

“When you’re in Baumber you’ve got an open view all the way across to Lincoln Cathedral that’s not obscured at all,” he said.

“The turbines will fall in line with the skyline. Bearing in mind they’re 410ft tall, that’s a massive impact.

“There are also issues about health and noise, because they are going to be relatively close to the houses. There’s also concern about house prices.”

“A lot of people bought the green lobby that turbines will save the planet but actually they won’t because you still need the back- up power for when they’re not generating enough electricity.

“The nuclear, coal and gas-fired power stations still have to do this.”

Linda Mountain (57), who lives in nearby Minting, said: “I’m not against renewable energy, don’t get me wrong, but the fact is on- shore turbines are really inefficient.

“They’re better suited out at sea where they are more efficient. I believe really it’s the taxpayer who foots the bill for this and the only people that benefit are the energy companies.”

Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh, whose constituency includes Minting, has backed the campaign – saying they can take heart from the successful fight to stop a wind farm at Laughton.

Enertrag UK says each of the eight turbines planned for Baumber would generate up to three megawatts of renewable electricity which would feed into the National Grid through underground cables.

It is expected to submit a planning application to East Lindsey District Council later this year – having just finished a study of background noise levels around the proposed site.

(c) 2008 Lincolnshire Echo. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.