Blimp grounded but wind farm protest will go on

By [hbence]

WIND turbine protestors handed out hundreds of leaflets in Billingborough ahead of public meetings this week.

Members of AGAST – Action Group Against Sempringham Turbines – have organised the meetings to highlight the impact of the proposed Scottish Power Renewables development at Sempringham.

Group member Aly Wicks said: "We had a good response from the public in general and we were pleased people took the time to talk to us.

"The proposed site at Sempringham is virtually on Billingborough's doorstep, and as only residents who immediate neighbour the site are informed of the proposals by the district council, the residents of surrounding areas, such as Billingborough, are probably unaware of the scale of the development and the impact it could have on them.

"We want to invite people to the meetings and make sure residents are aware of the response developments and the time period they have to lodge any comments with the South Kesteven District Council."

All formal objections to the planning application must be made to SKDC by Tuesday, March 10.

AGAST had planned to fly its blimp at the same height as the proposed Sempringham turbines at the weekend but had to cancel due to unsuitable weather conditions.

Instead, a local pilot flew his aircraft around the proposed site at regular intervals to demonstrate the scale of the proposed development.

Aly said: "It helped immensely to bring home to people the sheer scale of the turbines."

AGAST hopes to have a public speaker at the meetings and present video and audio footage of turbines in action plus a number of presentations on the visual and environmental aspects of turbines.

A spokesman for Scottish Power Renewables said the company could not comment further on the application at this stage in the process but it had done everything requested of it in preparing the application.

He added: "We worked extremely hard to make sure that the project is suitable for the area."

The company will hold two public information events about the proposed project and provide more information next month.

AGAST has also highlighted an application, submitted to SKDC by another developer earlier this month for an environmental impact assessment, for a wind farm just outside Billingborough.

AGAST's public meetings will be held at Billingborough Village Hall tonight (Wednesday) and Friday from 7-9.30pm. A third meeting will be held next week at Pointon and Sempringham Village Hall on Thursday, March 5, from 7-9.30pm.

Scottish Power Renewables will hold public information days at Billingborough Village Hall on Wednesday, March 11, and at Pointon and Sempringham Village Hall on Thursday, March 12. Both events run from 3-7.30pm.