PRESS RELEASE 14th October 2008

MORE MISLEADING HOT AIR FROM MARSHLAND WINDFARM LTD

Recent press articles would lead people to believe that the proposed massive wind power factory at Marshland Fen will have no detrimental affect on the surrounding area.  If you have read the Environmental Statement (ES) which is now available via a link on our website, you will be left feeling that the representatives of Marshland Windfarm must have been reading a different document when they presented the proposal with such a “rosy glow”.  We would encourage everyone to read this document but here are a few of the highlights.

• Site analysis identified that the likely visual impacts of the development are largely  within the surrounding 15-20 km (about 9 – 15 miles) of the site
  
• The visual impact of the turbines will be significant for as far away as 7.5 km (about 4.5 miles)
  
• Any sense of calm and isolation within this character area may be reduced.
  
• Significant effects on local residents and recreational walkers have been identified in the immediate surrounding villages.
  
• The greatest degree of change is likely to be between Marshland St James, Tilney Fen End, St John’s Fen End, Tilney St Lawrence, Barroway Drove, Outwell and Emneth Hungate.
  
• The ES concedes that there will be a negative affect on wildlife which they say “will not be insignificant”for some species.  We assume this to be Consultant speak for there WILL be a significant impact on wildlife!!
  
• They continue to treat the locals with contempt by making no reference whatsoever to the outcome of the public meetings and how strong the local opposition is to this development.
  
• They still say that noise from the turbines will be insignificant despite the fact that they have made “assessments” for turbines that have not yet even been tested and built ie the Enercon E82 3MW!!
  
• If your home suffers from shadow flicker they will take mitigating action such as planting you a hedge to shield you from the effects of the 140m high turbines.
  
• They say that the MoD did identify a number of military radars which they believed had the potential to be impacted by the development.

Now is the time to object to this proposal but we must follow the correct procedure.  The Borough Council must be lobbied because they will have the power to trigger a public enquiry. We will provide more details about how to do this in the near future especially at a public meeting to be held at Tilney Village Hall at 7PM on the 14th of November.  This venue has been chosen because it should have the capacity to cope with the anticipated high turnout of concerned residents.

However the most important immediate step is to register your name with BERR (formally The Department for Trade and Industry) WITHIN THE NEXT 28 DAYS otherwise you will not be able to have your objections taken into account at a public enquiry.  The address to write to is The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change c/o Gareth Leigh, BERR, Energy Group, Victoria Street, LONDON, SW1H 0ET.  Include a reference to The Marshland Wind Farm Planning Application within your letter.  You can also do this via e-mail to Gareth.Leigh@berr.gsi.gov.uk  but include details of your postal address.  PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DO NOT  NEED TO PRESENT YOUR ACTUAL OBJECTION AT THIS STAGE - YOU JUST NEED TO REGISTER YOUR DESIRE TO OBJECT.

FLAT have also recently learnt about secret plans being drawn by landowners in surrounding villages to develop additional wind farms.  We also believe that members of the current consortium are trying to buy land adjoining the current proposal.  We can only assume that they are preparing for Phase 2 of the development!!!  All our information will be made public in the near future! 

FLAT can be contacted via our website ie www.flat-group.co.uk or FLAT, PO Box 182, Wisbech, PE14 4BL or 07789 524850.   Please distribute this information as widely as possible – we now need your to help to defeat this application.

The FLAT Committee