Campaigners fighting plans to build six 140-metre tall wind turbines near Burnham-On-Sea met the town’s MP at the weekend to discuss the plans and present her with a model showing the scale of the plans.
The ‘No Pilrow’ group – which last week published several photomontages of how Broadview Energy’s proposed wind turbines 1km south of Rooksbridge may look – met MP Tessa Munt, as pictured.
The group held a ‘positive’ meeting in Highbridge, when they showed the MP a scale model of the site to demonstrate what they claim would be the negative impact on the local environment.
No Pilrow’s Nick Woolmington said the wind turbines “would be three times as high” as the controversial electricity pylons currently proposed by the National Grid to run through the area from Hinkley Point to Avonmouth.
Tessa told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I absolutely appreciate what this group is saying and these wind turbines are huge.”
“One of the things we as a country know we need to do is diversify our energy sources and we cannot be entirely dependent on any one source. However, the government has made some good plans to increase offshore wind and we will be fairly well catered for.”
“One of the problems with wind is that the less reliable the wind source, the higher the turbines have to be.”
“To be honest, while these turbines are alongside the M5 – and the motorway may not be the most beautiful corridor in the world – these are very close to people’s homes and they are going to be quite an eyesore on the landscape.”
“I fully appreciate the need for wind energy but let’s put it where it isn’t obtrusive.”
Broadview Energy, the developer behind the plans, is holding a series of public exhibitions this week to give residents the opportunity to find out more. The events will be held on Thursday July 21 at East Brent Village hall, from 2pm to 8:30pm; Friday July 22 at Mark Village Hall, from 12pm to 8pm; and Saturday July 23 at The Stables Business Centre, Rooks Bridge, from 10am to 2pm.
And residents living near the site have also been invited to attend a public meeting in East Brent this evening to discuss the proposals. East Brent Parish Council is holding the open meeting at East Brent Village Hall at 7.30pm when both Broadview and the No Pilrow group will be giving their views.
