Burnham-On-Sea’s MP joined dozens of campaigners on Saturday (September 3rd) who are fighting plans for a controversial wind farm near the town.
Tessa Munt met over 80 members of the No Pilrow campaign, which is opposing proposals by Broadview Energy to build six 140 metre turbines on farmland at Pilrow, approximately one kilometre south of Rooksbridge.
The MP, who pledged her support to the campaign, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I am not against green energy, providing it is in the right place, but this is not. There need to be clear benefits for the community.”
No Pilrow’s Chairman, Nick Woolmington, added: “It shows the strength of feeling that such a large number of residents and our MP came out today to show their support.”
“It was good to show Tessa the extent of the concerns on the same day that the government said it is considering a re-think of the UK’s planning policy. Interfering with ‘green belt land’ like this may be contravening planning policies in the near future.”
He added: “We’re not against wind power at all but we feel these developments ought to be sited either offshore or in more appropriate areas that are not so close to homes onshore.”
“The impact of these structures on the Somerset Levels, if they are allowed to go ahead, will, we feel, be devastating and people from as far afield as Burnham-On-Sea, Cheddar and Glastonbury will be able to see them.”
Broadview expects to submit a planning application for the Pilrow wind farm in early 2012 and, if approved, the site could be operational in the summer of 2013.
Pictured: Burnham’s MP, Tessa Munt, with campaigners outside the Wellington Arms in Rooksbridge. The photomontage shows how the six wind turbines could look next to the M5
