Fullabrook latest

Normal service is resuming at last -  hopefully anyway!  Computer problems, and life itself, have resulted in a long pause in blogging a pause, here (but not as long as the one in global warming.) 

On Fullabrook, noise problems have continued, even as the world at large has ignored the plight of those living near the turbines.

 http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/fullabrook_given_december_deadline_to_formulate_plan_to_cut_non_compliant_noise_levels_1_3857953

Parade against the Atlantic Array

 

Protesters near Barnstaple Square, before going to the Park Hotel for a Public Meeting.

More to come.

The Atlantic Array

Slay The Array will be staging a parade through the centre of Barnstaple next Saturday, 31 August, at 11.00 am followed by a Public Meeting at 12pm, to alert the people of North Devon to the imminent threat from the Atlantic Array.
The Parade starts at the Civic Centre, and goes through central Barnstaple to the Square. The Public Meeting will be held at the Park Hotel, in Taw Vale, not very far from the Square.

For more information go to:

www.slaythearray.com

Bird deaths under-estimated

"A new study just published in the United States has estimated that around 573,000 birds were killed by wind turbines in 2012 (including 83,000 birds of prey), in increase of 30 per cent on a previous estimate by the US fish and Wildlife Service in 2009. Bats are even worse hit, says author K Shawn Smallwood, and probably top 888,000 killed per year.

Clearly this has serious implications for the renewable energy industry, which bases much of its investment and publicity on the safety and environmental sustainability of the machines. Smallwood also believes his figures are underestimated, owing to the incompleteness if reports of bird and bat deaths from different states, in particular Texas."


http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__14606

This comes as no surprise. As someone commented to me the other day, up on Fullabrook Down, many buzzards, for example, are seen hovering above the turbines. It isn't that easy to stand on watch over 22 turbines, and we couldn't help wondering how many birds fall to the ground unnoticed, and are carried away by foxes overnight.

Slay the Array

Acceptance of planning application for UK's largest wind farm spells potential disaster for North Devon

Following the announcement that the Planning Inspectorate has accepted an applicationfrom Channel Energy Ltd to build the UK's largest offshore wind farm, consisting of 240 700-foot turbines, off the North Devon coast, Steve Crowther of campaign group Slay The Array said:

"North Devon is now in mortal danger.

"The jobs of one in six North Devonians depend on the visitors who come here fornature, tranquility and unspoilt views; a 10% fall in tourist numbers couldcost the area £30m a year.

"Our fish, birds and sea-mammals will be under threat, our fishermen out of work, and our shipping lanes an accident waiting to happen. Lundy will cease to exist as we know it.

"We face years of pile-driving, onshore construction and despoiling of the sea-bed, to build a massive white elephant producing intermittent electricity at three times the market cost.

"All this, in the second-best location for tidal power generation in the world!

"Tell everyone. We must fight this to the death."

For further information contact Steve Crowther, www.slaythearray.com

Energy Swindle

"Politicians should be doing everything they can to limit the pressure on household energy bills. Instead they are adding to the amount that you are paying by promising fat subsidies to companies who invest in expensive sources of energy like onshore and offshore wind turbines. Offshore wind costs three times as much as conventional energy but the Government want us to use a lot more of it, even if that means more pressure on people’s finances and more jobs lost as industry is driven overseas."

These words were written by Matthew Sinclair, Chief Executive of the Taxpayers Alliance. The TPA have launched their Stop the Energy Swindle campaign at http://energyswindle.org/

Matthew Sinclair has also written a brilliant piece in the The Spectator titled "How the government's energy policies will benefit a rich sheik at the expense of the poor.

"How exactly have we got to a world in which Ministers are proud of signing a deal where poor families pay three times as much for their energy and the money is handed over in fat profits to an Emirati sheikhdom?" he asks.

Welshpool again

County Times Petition and Inquiry 2013 HD

Welshpool 2013 - UK National Anti-Wind Farm Conference

Struan Stevenson, MEP, speaks at the Welshpool Conference, along with other Conservative MPs

Wind Farms Gone Wild

Wind farm developments out of control and unjustified says wild land charity  

Scottish Wild Land Group calls for Independent Energy Commission and wild land designation

The Scottish Wild Land Group today published a special issue of its magazine, Wild Land News, dedicated to the issue of wind energy. The issue, ‘Wind farms gone wild: is the environmental damage justified?’, calls into question the Scottish Government’s focus on wind power as an effective method of tackling climate change. It suggests that far more needs to be done to protect Scotland’s communities, environments and landscapes from opportunistic development.

To read more, go to this page on the Artists Against Windfarms website:

http://www.artistsagainstwindfarms.com/scotland/wild-land-group/wild-land-group-press-release.html 

So Much Wind, by Struan Stevenson MEP

‘This is a timely and important book, coming when more and more people are beginning to realise the folly of the SNP’s plans to make Scotland the ‘Saudi Arabia of renewables’. It analyses the human, financial and environmental cost of wind turbines and shows how misguided current policy is. This should be compulsory reading for all national and local politicians, to encourage them to stop more wind turbines being erected; either that, or voters make the choice for them’ – Martin Livermore of the Scientific Alliance

‘Thought-provoking’ – Scottish Field

The Author:

Struan Stevenson  has served as a Conservative Euro MEP for Scotland since 1999. He is President of the Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development Intergroup and Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq. In 2010 he was appointed by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation Europe (OSCE) as a Personal Representative (Roving Ambassador) of the Chairman in Office (Kazakhstan) responsible for Ecology and Environment with a particular focus on Central Asia. His previous book, Stalin’s Legacy, was published in August 2012.

 For more information, go to this link.

 

David Bellamy's Blog

"Being close to and caring for the natural environment has always been close to my heart, and it has had a profound effect on my life. Whatever life throws at me it is always to the countryside that I turn to restore my health, my balance and to recharge the incredible energy I derive from just being out there. This is especially so of the mountains and wild places. It gives meaning to my paintings and keeps me in touch with reality when much of the world is in turmoil.
It goes without saying that when such places are threatened by inappropriate development that I naturally feel the need to spring to their defence, and sadly never before have such threats been so potentially devastating as we now see unfolding before our eyes. Much of my work has had to be put aside so that I can protest about what is now happening in Wales, and indeed much of Britain..."

Go to David's Blog to read more of what he has to say about the horrific plans to put 800 or more wind turbines across the wild and beautiful mountains and countryside of Wales. 

We need a welcome not a Wind Farm

Llanllwni Mountain Choir

Batsworthy Cross near Exmoor

 No local community could have fought harder to stop the Batsworthy Cross Wind farm - so much for the government's talk of Localism. Virtually the only supporters the Wind Farm had were a few members of the North Devon Green Party (mostly from 20 or 30 miles away) and this is how their Party was rewarded for its support of the Wind Farm in the recent South Molton Rural Council Election results (this is the area that includes Batsworthy Cross)

L'Anne Knight (Green Party, Rule Six Party supporting the Wind Farm at the Public Inquiry) 90 votes.


J. Yabsley (Conservative who voted against the wind farm at the North Devon Council Planning Committee meeting)                                                                                                                1419 votes

B Hockin (UKIP -who were a Rule Six party against the wind farm at the Public Inquiry)       696 votes


When is David Cameron going to start listening to the people who live in the countryside, instead of "Green" lobbyists for the Wind Industry? Even popular Conservative and Lib Dem Councillors who have opposed local wind farms must know that their votes will carry on haemorraging away, unless David Cameron and Nick Clegg think again on this issue. Most UKIP candidates were standing for the first time, and many had little time to campaign, but they polled way ahead of the Greens all across North Devon and Torridge.   More and more wind farm campaigners - whatever party they may have voted for previously - are beginning to vote for UKIP,  the only party that has a leader who is not afraid to say it as it is about Big Wind.


http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/Batsworthy-Cross-wind-farm-legal-challenge-thrown/story-18948600-detail/story.html

Important Meeting for all who care about rural Devon

Dartmoor from North Tawton - this wonderful view is still threatened by nine giant wind turbines.

Here is a message from Muriel Goodman and Mike Hulme of the Den Brook Judicial Review Group

"You may already be aware that a fresh planning application was submitted April 19 to West Devon Borough Council (WDBC) by developers RES regarding the Den Brook Wind Farm. 

The application proposes significant changes to the hard-won noise conditions imposed by the Inspector on the planning approval in December 2009.  

The application number is 00393/2013.                                                                                                                                    
It can be viewed by putting the number into the online planning search: http://apps.westdevon.gov.uk/planningSearch/default.aspx

It is the view of the Den Brook Judicial Review Group (DBJRG) that, if approved, RES's proposals would leave those living in the locality with neither proper nor adequate protection from potentially health damaging noise, particularly during night-times. We further believe this application confirms that the wind farm is not only poorly designed and inappropriately located but that construction of the wind farm is unlikely to be viable without the developer significantly changing the noise conditions.

The application contains a range of deceptively hidden and serious technical shortcomings and may be unlawful. Ideally, professionally backed representations need to be submitted to WDBC along with general comments from individuals. Professional expertise and legal advice will of course cost money. 

An open public meeting is therefore to be held Friday 10 May at 7:45pm at Nichols Nymet House, EX20 2BP - Tel: 01837 82626.

We apologise for the unavoidably short notice but very much hope that you will be able to attend the meeting. Your support is vital for the action necessary to defend the current noise conditions. 

Thank you for your continued support."

Do watch this video if you can

Nick Lukey

The photographer Nick Lukey contacted us recently, and we are setting up a page about him and his work on the website.  It will be online in a few days time.

Until then, you can see more of his work here:

http://www.thebigpicturegallery.com/

Mynydd y Gwair

This painting by David Bellamy was one of the first to be shown on our website. The fight to save Mynydd y Gwair has lasted for many years  (you can read more here:  http://www.artistsagainstwindfarms.com/windfarms/mynydd_y_gwair.html).


Last week, Swansea Council gave the wind farm (16 turbines, 127 m high) the go-ahead. 


"More than 60 campaigners packed the public gallery for the debate by a Swansea Council committee which heard views both for and against the controversial scheme.

One of those who spoke was Glyn Morgan, chairman of Save Our Common Mountain Environment, who claimed 87 per cent of people in the local community were opposed to the scheme.

"It would be sacrilege to develop on Mynydd y Gwair," he said.

He stated that red kites had successfully moved into the area and there were two breeding nests, and that the land had grazing rights with 120 commoners with flocks of sheep and also cattle.

The land was also popular with walkers, horse riders and people flying model aircraft, he added.

He urged the council to "make the people  proud to be citizens of Swansea and oppose the development"."

You can read more here:

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Wind-farm-Mynydd-y-Gwair-Swansea-approved-tonight/story-18081607-detail/story.html#axzz2KJscsXZR

Ammun Lucca

Ammun Luca,  the sculptor, lives in NSW Australia, and his work will soon be highlighted on www.artistsagainstwind farms.com.

Ammun's website is:

http://www.ammunluca.com.au/

Save the Shetland Islands

From the Sustainable Shetland website:

Financial appeal

Viking windfarm: Judicial Review

From 29th January a request for a Judicial Review brought by Sustainable Shetland is to be heard at the Edinburgh Court of Session. We believe Scottish Ministers acted unlawfully in consenting to the Viking Windfarm without a Public Local Inquiry.
Our 800+ members have contributed and raised funds to help cover our legal costs, but we need more.

Please go to this link below to find out more about how to help:

http://www.sustainableshetland.org/appeal.htm

If this wind farm goes ahead, the people of Shetland will be living in a wind farm made up of 103 giant turbines. The tranquility and beauty of the Islands will be a thing of the past. The wild life and the environment will suffer, and all this destruction will be for little real gain except to those who who make money from the project.

Important news from Australia

"This television report was broadcast within the last 24 hours. It makes compelling viewing. It marks an unprecedented move by the Environmental Protection Agency in South Australia to begin testing residences near Waterloo wind farm. The investigation will include the measurement of infrasound and low frequency noise, down to 0.25 Hz, inside and outside homes, with “on off” testing. It will require the cooperation and provision of operational data which wind development operators have so far refused to provide to any independent researchers, anywhere in the world."

Read more and see the video at this link:

  http://stopthesethings.com/2013/02/01/now-finally-the-truth-laid-bare/