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Protest at Prowind's plan to build wind turbines near Hambleton, Thorpe Willoughby, Gateforth, Birkin and West Haddlesey

8:50am Monday 28th September 2009 in


MASSIVE protests have blown up against proposals for two wind farms in the Selby district.

Scores of local residents have lodged objections to the plans by Prowind to construct seven, 125 metre-tall turbines on land north of Hambleton and Thorpe Willoughby, and 14 of the same height on a site between Gateforth, Birkin and West Haddlesey.

Prowind estimates that, every year, the development near Hambleton – which would be known as Bishopwood Wind Farm – would generate electricity for about 10,500 homes, and the one near Gateforth – which would be called Woodlane Wind Farm – enough for 21,000 dwellings. Residents claim the wind farms would ruin the outlook, reduce the value of properties and even affect golfers’ play on a golf course.

St Mary’s Church, in Birkin, has submitted a petition to Selby District Council, signed by 67 people, against wind turbines being sited within view of the building, claiming: “It would affect the setting of the church and its position in the village as a place of worship and for the celebration of baptisms, marriages and funerals.”

One resident wrote on the authority’s website that the turbines at the Bishopwood Wind Farm would ruin the outlook to and from several listed buildings in the area, including Gateforth Hall, Birkin Church, Gateforth Lodge and Monk Fryston Hall.

Another said the proximity of the wind farm to Hambleton and Thorpe Willoughby would reduce the value of nearby properties and put people off living in the area.

Scalm Park Golf Club, which is close to where the development would be, claims one of the turbines there would cause severe problems in discerning the flight of balls from part of the course.

Prowind has said the layout of Bishopwood Wind Farm has been carefully designed to minimise impact on the landscape, the environment and residents, with each turbine situated at least at the minimum required distance from houses, watercourses, ponds, woodland and roads.

Comments(28)

Mister Sheen says...
9:41am Mon 28 Sep 09

NIMBY's!

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Grumpy Old Man says...
10:22am Mon 28 Sep 09

Are all these protesters prepared to go without electicity in the future? If so, good luck to them. However, I suspect they want all the benefits electricity brings them as long as the wind farms are sited somewhere they can't see them. Hypocrits!

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scooterboy says...
10:41am Mon 28 Sep 09

we should all have a wind turbine in our garden if it means saving the planet

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myselby says...
10:59am Mon 28 Sep 09

Sounds like a lot of hot air to me, as for reduction in house prices, not sure the rent will be reduced on mine. they dont want wind power, didn't want coal, don't think they will want any thing

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oldgrumps says...
11:40am Mon 28 Sep 09

Ah yes, so as the world is vanishing under rising seas and wars are being fought for the last drops of oil, at least we will be able to say "but the setting of St Mary’s Church hasn't been spoilt...and we can still play golf".
Time to get real folks, while there is still time. And yes, I would want one in my back yard.

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oldgoat says...
11:54am Mon 28 Sep 09

Microgeneration - solar panels and roof-mounted wind turbines - is the way of the future, especially for anyone who doesn't like their electric bills.

I cannot understand people who think these wind turbines are ugly. Have they ever driven past Thorpe Marsh, Drax or Ferrybridge and waxed lyrical on the graceful cooling towers, steam and coal trains? Perhaps not.

On the other hand, a wind turbine is something you can get used to seeing, is graceful, gives you clean energy from a free source, and will not depress your house price - I'd happily buy a house within a quarter mile of one!

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bloodaxe says...
12:36pm Mon 28 Sep 09

Of course these should be built. However, an untapped source of energy might lie in the hot air generated by many of the posts accompanying articles in The Press.

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Kynnersley says...
12:50pm Mon 28 Sep 09

We need to move away from using fossil fuels to produce electricity, perhaps the protesters would prefer a nuclear power staion instead.

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NTS says...
12:53pm Mon 28 Sep 09

These wind turbines could spoil their lovely view of Drax or Eggborough belching out fumes, which will obviously be there far longer if the residents get their way

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NTS says...
12:56pm Mon 28 Sep 09

and furthermore ther is nothing that is likely to reduce the desirability of your home than it being under water, on occasion. Lets face facts non of these villages are ontop of a mountain and the Selby area is prone to flooding, something that is going to become increasingly likely if we dont amend the way we generate power.

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BikerSharp says...
1:07pm Mon 28 Sep 09

How many of those who have commented live near to the proposed sites?? There are a number of issues, inluding the sound they generate, which has been proven to lead to migranes and a breakup of sleep patterns. Also they can only operate in certain conditions, so when it gets to windy they turn them off!!!

I agree there is a need for a move away from fossile fuels however the locations of these sites are more about convienience for the providers than giving any thought to local residents.

There is plenty of tidal power, lets not forget we are an island, and we have some of the most volatile coast lines in the world. Would it not be better to make use of this?? Ah yes now i realise, its more expensive to make and maintain items at sea!!

On shore wind farms are not the way forward, lets do it properly and build vast farms out at sea to reduce the need for fossile fuels, Britain has been faffing around with this for years its time to commit, but lets do it properly!!

I am guessing all those who have commented would not mind the constant hum and site of these things in thier back yard as doing on shore would basically mean exactly that!!

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Gibbo1 says...
1:10pm Mon 28 Sep 09

As a local resident affected by the proposed wind farm i am not surprised to read the usual NIMBY rubbish from people who live miles away in areas that contribute nothing to the renewables debate. Selby District has already beaten re-newable energy targets for 2020 with 3 ongoing projects, the wind farm proposals would generate a fraction of the electricity of the plants currently being built. A fact rarely brought up is how little energy wind turbines actually produce and how expensive the energy actually is. Without the massive subsidies paid by the tax payer and the end users of electricity (basically a double wammy for you and me) there would be no wind turbines anywhere, i'm sure there would be loads of articles moaning if the price of electricity continue sto soar as it inevitably will. Lets be honest, if there wasn't a fat load of cash to be made from building wind farms then the development companies would be nowhere to be seen, do you really think they are in it to save the planet? I find the usual comment about going without electricity laughable, do people really think that wind turbines are the answer to ongoing enery shortfalls, if so we need to be 100,000+ and hope the wind blows all the time at a constant speed. Its also funny to be accused of being a hypocrite with 3 massive power stations on the doorstep and the UK's leading re-newables developmet at Drax, again i would ask what the York district produces?? NOTHING! Do people really think a turbine in the back yard is the answer? As the article discussed Prowind meet the minimum distances legally allowed but this will be of little comfort to the hundreds of people affetced by the noise that is generated, if this were any other industry the noise generated would be illegal however the government allows wind turbines to make more noise through new legislation (The noise allowed is actually MORE at night - figure that).
I agree that the concerns of a church and golf club are not of the highest order but the concerns of real people are, the article failed to gain any insight into the human impact just went for the easy option. Wind turbines are best suited to locations high up or at the coast where the wind blows stronger, longer and more constantly, a fact agreed by the British Wind Energy Association, Selby District is none of the above and wind readings show the average speed to be below the minimum required to make the turbines produce any energy at all. I could go on but don't have the time to cover all the reasons why these proposals are not viable, i am not a NIMBY just someone prepared to stick up for real people.

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Gibbo1 says...
1:22pm Mon 28 Sep 09

I feel the need to add a couple more points in response to comments.
Even after building all the wind farms there are NO plans to shut down the coal fired plants, where do you think the power would come from during periods of little or no wind??
Oldgoat - it is nice to hear from someone willing to buy a house nearby, independent house price valuers estimate a 20-30% drop in house prices coupled with a dramatic reduction in viewings, there is a well documented case of a couple in Lincolnshire whose house is now worthless as no estate agent will even take it on their books due to the nearby wind farm, in this case the local council offered a reduction in Council Tax!! big deal after loosing all value in a £180,000 house.
People need to wake up and realise that governments are using climate change to push through their own agenda regardless of the cost, re-newable energy debates take the focus off nuclear and will do so until after the election

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Grumpy Old Man says...
1:30pm Mon 28 Sep 09

Gibbo1 and BikerSharp have just filed two perfect examples on Nimbyism. We have the right to comment on their backyards because global warming affects everyone on this planet not just a few cosseted property speculators. Join the human race and shut up.

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BikerSharp says...
1:40pm Mon 28 Sep 09

Hang on a minute, I have not even said where i am from or commented on house prices and i havbe not said you cannot pass your opinions!!! Also i have agreed we need to look at new ways to fuel our need for electricity.

What i did say was that i did not feel that wind power was the right on-shore approach for the numerous reasons listed about impacts on health!!

In order to produce enough constant power these sites would have to be vast and either on pretty much every available piece of open land or at sea!!

They simply do not offer the amount of continuous power we need, especially with the poor excuse for farms we are building.

Enough power for 10500 homes providing its windy, but not too windy as thats dangerous and they will be turned off.

So GOM read what is written first before commenting! It seems from what you have written you do not have a clue!!!

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Soothsayer17 says...
1:45pm Mon 28 Sep 09

I personally have no problem with wind turbines, even the monster-sized ones.

However, I've always found people who use the term NIMBY in arguments that don’t affect their locality to be DIMBYs.

In this country we are granted the right to protest against things we feel impinge on us and I would urge everyone to use that right. If you don't, no-one will do it for you - that's the way it works and thank god for it.

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BikerSharp says...
1:46pm Mon 28 Sep 09

Although i have just realised it says my location in next to my username!! oops!!

Ah well my comments still stand!!

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Gibbo1 says...
2:24pm Mon 28 Sep 09

GOM (apt name)
I would have alot more time for comments from people in York if they encouraged their local / district councillors to do more instead of pushing for their ideas to be forced on others. I note that you take the easy option of saying i am wrong (even a cosseted property speculator mmm) without looking into the facts and putting a different side of the argument, i guess you believe that all the propsed green options are just that and must be supported whatever the cost, typical ignorance!
I ask once again what is York contributing to the re-newable energy requirements? It is easy to throw comments from long distance.

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LittleTed says...
3:45pm Mon 28 Sep 09

Mister Sheen wrote:
NIMBY's!
Get some imagination Sad'o!

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scooterboy says...
7:26pm Mon 28 Sep 09

well i think its to late to save the planet at least when alians take over mr galloway has given them loads of car parks, of shore wind farms are the way forward i would love to see loads of turbines rather than the stuff ya see at selby heating the air

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Get-a-grip says...
8:01pm Mon 28 Sep 09

I've seen many wind farms of various sizes all over France and Belgium. Why do they cause so many problems in the UK with regards to where they are sited?

In Europe they realise the need, find a good site, and get on with it. We have protesters crawling all over the place.

Pathetic!

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hokey cokey says...
8:16pm Mon 28 Sep 09

Get-a-grip wrote:
I've seen many wind farms of various sizes all over France and Belgium. Why do they cause so many problems in the UK with regards to where they are sited? In Europe they realise the need, find a good site, and get on with it. We have protesters crawling all over the place. Pathetic!
Add High Speed Rail Lines to your list as well

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petethefeet says...
9:37pm Mon 28 Sep 09

The fact is that these on-shore wind farms rarely produce their quoted output. About 40% of that figure is the norm. So, you would need about 400 installations the size of Woodlane to equal Drax. I can't wait for the protests against the inevitable new Nuclear plants!

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nomadic85 says...
10:08am Tue 29 Sep 09

the vast majority of Sleby and its surrounding vilages is a hole anyway. Let's face it, it looks bloody awful anyway, a few wind turbones aint going to make much difference.

If you take a big lump of **** and add a bit more ****, it is still a big lump of ****!

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Mister Sheen says...
10:57am Tue 29 Sep 09

LittleTed wrote:
Mister Sheen wrote: NIMBY's!
Get some imagination Sad'o!
"It's just an i-llusion.... tum te tum........tra la la........."

I've stood in and amongst these things and can't hear much more than a mild swishing sound!

Sad'o !? - short for ????

(Crikey! - speaking of wind! - my dog just dropped one!!! Cough !!Retch!!)

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Zetkin says...
12:39pm Tue 29 Sep 09

I can't say I'd have any problem with a wind farm being built close to my house. Nor would the proximity of one put me off buying a house.
`
Whilst not everyone finds them attractive, they are easily removed should a better alternative emerge in the future, unlike nuclear power stations which can remain a potentially lethal blot on the landscape for generations after they've been decomissioned.
`
I'm interested to know where the wind-farm company intends buying its equipment. The government has been bloody-minded in its refusal to nationalise Vestas, Britain's main manufacturer which has sacked hundreds of people and closed down production because it's not profitable enough for them.
`
The government says it wants to create a million "green" jobs but won't lift a finger to save 600 such jobs, so I guess the Selby district windmills will be made in Germany or North America.

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Kynnersley says...
12:57pm Tue 29 Sep 09

How many of those who have commented live near to the proposed sites?? There are a number of issues, inluding the sound they generate, which has been proven to lead to migranes and a breakup of sleep patterns.

The ones I've been near in Cornwall are virtually silent, so what sound please explain!!!!!

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Gibbo1 says...
5:01pm Tue 29 Sep 09

Again i feel the need to comment on the comment sof some people and the ignorance of others.
nomadic85 - the fact you cannot spell and feel the need to resort to insulting others says enough about where you are coming from. Some form of alternative argument would be good but sadly not put forward by you.
get-a-grip - Both France and Belgium have minimum distance of 1.5km from the nearest homes, the Selby proposals would NOT be built in any other European country, that is why they cause so much controversy.
Zetkin - Sadly the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of concrete required for the turbine bases is not so easy to remove and causes long lasting problems for the local area (can also lead to flooding as it alters the local water table)
Kynnersley - i live very close to the proposed site and have spent countless hours researching wind energy so i feel able to comment.

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