Blimp protestors to soar into action

Artist impression An impression of what the area could look like if plans to build a wind farm gets the go-ahead. (Picture: Supplied by BWAG)

Above: A blimp will be raised at Wispinton by protestors to illustrate the height of the proposed turbines.

AN action group against plans to build a wind farm near Baumber is offering local people the chance to see the scale of the proposal on July 11.

Baumber Windfarm Action Group (BWAG) is opposing Enertrag UK's plans to build eight industrial wind turbines on the western edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

The group will be raising a blimp at Wispington to illustrate the height of the proposed turbines. This follows on from the success of a previous Blimp Day event organised by the group.

BWAG group chairman Melvin Grosvenor said: "At 125 metres from the ground the blimp will be visible from locations far and wide from Lincoln, Woodhall Spa, Horncastle, from miles of the western Lincolnshire Wolds and from deep inside the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

"As reported in the Target last week, BWAG is in full agreement with David Linley of Enertrag who last week said 'flying blimps do not represent wind turbines. There is a complete structure underneath the turbine and blades on it so the blimp cannot represent this.'

"BWAG agrees that a blimp cannot represent the huge industrial structure but can only represent the height to the blade tip.

"A blimp cannot possibly hope to represent the eight 90metre high pylons, the 1,000tonnes of concrete needed for each base or the rotating blades wider than a Jumbo Jet spinning 90 metres above the ground.

"In the absence of any meaningful physical representation of the proposal from Enertrag, we are funding our own 'Awareness Days' showing concerned local people the height of these huge industrial machines in the actual landscape context."

Mr Grosvenor said the issues such as noise is becoming increasingly problematic at other sites in the UK.

He added: "And shadow flicker has not been adequately addressed despite the comments from Mr Linley."

BWAG will continue fight against a wind farm that could be sited in some of Lincolnshire most beautiful countryside and that would destroy the unspoilt vista from the AONB towards the historic Cathedral in Lincoln.