Brent Knoll Village Hall was packed with more than 150 people on Friday afternoon for a public meeting to discuss the controversial plans to build a wind farm on land outside Burnham-On-Sea.
People on both sides of the debate gathered to hear arguments put forward both for and against the scheme, which is due to be finally decided by Sedgemoor planners on Tuesday (August 8th). Members of FORCE (Families for Clean Energy) spoke in favour of the development, while KNOll to Wind Farm explained why it does not believe the scheme would be in the best interests of the area.
Earlier, protesters flew a microlight 390ft above the fields between Brent Knoll and Burnham-on-Sea (pictured right) where Ecotricity wants to build five turbines of the same height.
For ten minutes, the pilot, who is a friend of one of the kNOll to Wind Farm group, flew in circuits above the fields at a height of 390ft to highlight the turbines’ height.
A spokesman for Ecotricity later said the company would appeal to the Secretary of State if the scheme is turned down, as had been recommended by Sedgemoor’s planning officers on grounds of disruption to the landscape.
“There’s no question,” said Dale Vince. “We know it’s the right place. It’s the council’s responsibility to make a decision, but we can always get a second opinion.”
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