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Open letter on the Governments go ahead for wind turbines around Barmoor

Sir,

For those of us fighting the spread of wind turbines across North Northumberland, the decisions on turbine proposals last week by the Secretary of State brought mixed news.

I want to congratulate the Moorsyde and Toft Hill campaigners on their energetic and successful campaigns. The work of Save Our Unique Landscapes (SOUL) and West Ancroft Community Action (WACA) has been equally vital in trying to protect our unique landscapes and the tourism they make possible. The determination of the campaigners to protect the North Northumberland landscape is a fine example of local people taking positive action against overwhelming odds. I am deeply saddened by the decision to build six turbines around Barmoor. I am in regular contact with local campaigners who have done so much to fight these proposals and know what a bitter blow this is.

This is a tale of local people pitted against the remote agendas of big Government and big business. It is a disgrace that this Labour Government has made it easier for Whitehall bureaucrats to impose unwanted and unproven new heavy industry on rural residents.

After these recent successes and disappointments, we must redouble our efforts to face down this continuing threat. Once a handful of turbines go up, those who can profit from this inefficient technology will take the opportunity to try and build more. The wind speculators will claim that arguments in favour of protecting ‘unspoilt’ landscapes are weakened. I believe they are wrong. We will fight them every step of the way. I am currently campaigning against proposals to put up to 35 wind turbines, each over 120 metres tall, around Wingates near Longhorsley.

We must be more intelligent when it comes to meeting our need for renewable energy. Onshore wind turbines are not the right solution for North Northumberland. Offshore energy generation remains a much better way for us to safeguard our environment without damaging it forever. A Conservative Government will embrace a wider investment in renewable energy. Yet we will ensure that the final decision rests with local communities, not with a distant Planning Inspector. A new Conservative Government will scrap Labour’s Independent Planning Commission and return real decision-making to local people.

Yours sincerely,

Anne-Marie Trevelyan

5th February 2010