Simple… support this Private Members Bill by looney tory lord, Hugh William Mackay, 14th Lord Reay, Baron Mackay
The Wind Turbines (Minimum Distances from Residential Premises) Bill seeks to impose minimum distances between wind turbines and the nearest properties of at least 1000m for turbines over 25m up to 2000m for the largest turbines. Smaller distances could still be approved by planners if EVERY resident within the “buffer zone” gave written permission.
On the face of it you might think this is reasonable, however consider the implications.
- The bill takes no account of the number of turbines. Whether its 1 or 1000 the same rules apply.
- By mandating large separation zones it will force developers to look further out into unspoiled countryside and schemes will become even more controversial. Why should people living in the countryside have to host wind turbines to power towns and cities?
- It will kill community schemes. We are working on a number of community projects and thanks in part to the negative propaganda put about, it is near impossible to get 100% approval for any scheme. So it would just take 1 NIMBY to thwart the aspirations of an entire village. Fair? We don’t think so.
This bill will, quite simply, kill the UK onshore wind industry dead… from single turbine community schemes upwards. For many this will cause to celebrate, however if you are concerned about energy security and climate change it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
The UK is legally bound to reduce carbon emissions massively by 2050, we are so behind schedule its scary. If onshore wind falters then you could argue off-shore will pick up the slack – but at THREE TIMES THE COST are you willing to see your energy bills to take the hit?
Annual energy inflation is already running at 10 – 15% with no signs of doing anything but accelerating. Nuclear is now universally unpopular, besides which… where do you build new nuclear plant if experts are predicting significant sea level rises within their operating lifetime?