More feedback wanted on turbines plan
RESIDENTS in Burton Joyce have until the end of the month to give their views on controversial plans for two wind turbines.
Severn Trent Water applied to Gedling Borough Council in March 2010 for permission to build the 132-metre high turbines next to the Poplars Sports Ground, in Burton Joyce.
Burton Joyce Parish Council submitted a detailed 200-page document against the plans in July 2010.
A decision was anticipated in the autumn of that year, but a planning committee date has been pushed back several times.
Now, Severn Trent has submitted new information, prompting Gedling Borough Council to hold a second round of consultation.
Steve Cluff, head of the parish council's Wind Turbine Working Group, said the parish council was now revising its document to respond to the new information.
"The parish council is now sending out a four-page brochure to update residents on the changes and advise them how they can object," he said.
"It will be sent out to around 2,000 households in Burton Joyce, Stoke Bardolph and Bulcote within the next seven days."
The new information submitted by Severn Trent includes a new estimate of the amount of noise created by the turbines, compared with a survey of existing background noise at the site.
The firm says there has been a slight increase in background noise since its first survey, which was conducted between October 2009 and January 2010.
Severn Trent has also given its response to objections raised by Sports England to the potential impact on the nearby Poplar Sports Ground.
The ground is run by Burton Joyce Parish Council and is home to 18 football teams, five cricket teams, a bowls club and the BJ Archer Club.
The clubs say that, if the turbines are allowed, they will not be able to use the ground properly.
A spokeswoman for Sport England previously told the Post the organisation objected to the plans because the turbines would "be a visual distraction for both the playing and watching of cricket".
Severn Trent previously agreed to investigate the matter and present its findings back to Sport England.
In its document of new findings, Severn Trent says that the turbines would not have "significant adverse visual effects by way of visual distraction for the participants of sporting activity at the Poplars Sports Ground".
Severn Trent's renewable energy project specialist, Jon Beeson, said Severn Trent had been working closely with Gedling Borough Council on the proposals.
He added: "All studies are now complete and we have provided Gedling Borough Council with all the information they require.
"Projects of this nature are very complex and often require supplementary surveys and additional information, which can unfortunately lead to delays. Severn Trent Water apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused."
To give feedback, visit www.gedling.gov.uk and click on Stoke Bardolph Wind Turbines.
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by ClintEast
Wednesday, January 25 2012, 1:04PM
“smith 1980 - almost as cheeky as windfarm companies only paying 20% of the planning fees due - but we found out here and got them to pay the full amount otherwise our council tax would be paying for the profits of a private company.
also they employed a lobby group who used social media and market stalls in towns miles away to drum up support - there were 60 supporters of the windfarm but only 10 were from the local area - some were from Scotland and Wales - hundreds of miles away.
there were 160 objectors but some inspector from London said that the harm it does to us is ok as the bigger picture of climate change is more important. so much for localism.”
by smshogun
Monday, January 09 2012, 5:35PM
“Red, there is much imformation, and misinformation about wind turbines and many issues which have arisen when many were built based on "estimates" of various parameters.
What we know as fact which is based on real world readings and not estimates, is they can be excessively noisy during operation, most noise is emitted from the rotating blades themselves and lots is emitted from the mechanical components such as gearboxes and drivetrains. Many sites throughout the UK and Europe actually breach numerous noise regulations and have various operational limits imposed upon them. Many cannot operate during high winds when they are at there most productive as the combined emitted noise is too high, and many have operational working hours imposed upon them. Most issues arise at night when ambient noise levels are much lower and people are sleeping and the noise can be heard over many Kilometres and affects many people, this does vary from design to design, and terrain.
Noise was the sole reason Government opted to install offshore wind farms as they could be sited far enough offshore not to cause a nuisance from noise, yet not too far so they would not be accessible
Many have not delivered the quantities of power they were "estimated" to produce and this has led to many early designs becoming villified by the engineering community as there financial returns were based on "estimates" which they cannot hope to attain. This in turn led to the previous Government to introduce many financial incentives to keep private investors happy and industry to persevere with them, and the setting of the then current feed in tarriff which was excessively high for this reason.
Times move on and its not all bad news as modern innovations are a computer software programme which is currently being developed to reduce onshore site noise emissions. This includes the ability to cater for blade designs, transmission designs, and even their precise location.”
by Tilly_Calvo
Monday, January 09 2012, 4:04PM
“I really can not see the problem with wind turbines... anyway they might help fan the stench from Stoke Bardolph.”
by sime64
Monday, January 09 2012, 3:51PM
“First bit of real wind and they have to turn them off . Big ugly useless things (no i'm not on about Urqhart, but since you mention it) Get some good old nuclear power stations built and be done with it!”
by Smith1980
Monday, January 09 2012, 1:09PM
“You don't even live in Nottingham Norfolk boy - go and protest in your own back yard. Cheeky sod.”