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3rd August 2006

Cambridge Wind Farm Loses Turbine

Your Energy have issued a further Supplementary Environmental Information document which includes a revision of the scheme by removing the nearest turbine to Boxworth. They state that this reduction followed a review of environmental and technical constraints but did not specify the reason. The document also contains an additional noise assessment and initial work on a bat survey which has identified two types of bat using the site.

The loss of one turbine obviously makes no difference to the scale of the overall scheme. It will still be massive and completely out of scale with the flat surrounding landscape. However, the interesting question is why have they been forced into losing part of their commercial profit. Make no mistake there is no way they would have done this unless they had been backed into a corner. Ever since they produced their first Environmental Statement they have been adamant that they had done everything in an objective comprehensive professional manner and that the scheme was acceptable in the proposed location.

Our issues that we raised were dismissed as either not material planning issues or just ignored. So it is with a feeling of some satisfaction that one of the issues that we raised namely noise seems to have forced them into an undignified retreat. At least we assume it is noise that has prompted the removal of the turbine because they have not actually said what it is. Don't worry we will ask them although don't hold your breath waiting for an answer!

We know that they have finally accepted our contention that their initial noise measurements were unrepresentative by carrying out these further measurements in Fen Drayton, Conington and at two sites in Boxworth. The turbine that has been removed was the nearest one to a new site in Boxworth so it is a racing certainty that the readings from there, a more secluded site from the A14, forced the removal of the turbine to meet the prescribed limits. Interestingly from the original readings it was Conington not Boxworth which was very close to exceeding the limits.So when Your Energy says that the readings from Conington were not included because of technical problems then, being slightly cynical where Your Energy is concerned, one starts to wonder if these showed a problem with turbines at that end of the wind farm as well! The good thing is that SCDC have employed a noise consultant to take measurements in both Conington and Boxworth so we will have a means of independent verification.

Interestingly they also have not published data from one position in Boxworth because they said it was from the same place as the original reading but we know that it was about a couple of hundred yards away, close to Grapevine Cottages. Again one questions the content of readings that are not disclosed.

The overall conclusion of these latest developments is that Your Energy are on the back foot and scrabbling around to defend their totally inappropriate wind farm.

Update on Progress

We are in the process of finalising our proofs of evidence for the Inquiry which have to be in by Sept 19th but holidays tend to intrude at this time of year so we are keeping ahead of schedule. We have managed to gather more good evidence to support our arguments particularly about the underestimation by Your Energy of the visual impact of the scheme. We will be continuing to work hard on your behalf to get this appeal turned down.

On the financial front we are getting there. We have now raised around £30,000 towards our £40,000 target so any help will be much appreciated! Thanks to Keith and Helen Burgess who hosted a BBQ and Auction of Promises which raised over £2300. We are aiming to hold a quiz night on Friday Sept 8th so watch the forthcoming events section for details in the next week or so!

27 March 2006

Appointment of experts

We are delighted that we have instructed Morag Ellis as our barrister to put
our case at the Inquiry. Morag specialises in planning and has experience of
wind farm inquiries. She has also worked with SCDC which will aid the
coordination of the case with the council. She has looked at our case and is
confident that we have very strong arguments to put before the inspector.

We have also engaged DLP Planning Consultants of Bedford. So we now have all
the elements in position to mount the strongest possible case against this
unjustifiable appeal.

Statement of Case

We have now seen all the statements of case and no new arguments have been
put forward. Your Energy have not been able to introduce any new reasons as to
why the unanimous decision of SCDC was wrong. They merely keep repeating
their already discredited arguments. We are totally confident the the Inspector,
Dr Andrew Pykett, will recognise this situation and reject the appeal.

The Pre-Inquiry Meeting has now been set for June 5th at which the
logistical details of the Inquiry will be sorted out. The Inquiry itself remains
scheduled to commence on Oct 17th.

18 JANUARY 2006

Inquiry Hearing - October

Initial indications from the Planning Inspectorate suggest that the Inquiry hearing will be held in mid-October. Although this seems a long way off, and we expect some people are desperate to get this sorry saga over and done with, the fact that we have nine months to go will give us the time to hone our arguments completely. More importantly it will give us more time to raise the funds we need to put up our best possible defense. The Committee is back in full swing and you can follow below what we are doing.

Appointment of Experts

We are in the final stages of appointing a barrister. We have identified who we want and just need to go through the formal instruction process. Watch this space for the full announcement soon!!

Liaison with South Cambridgeshire District Council

We are working closely with SCDC to ensure that we present a united front at the Inquiry. They have already instructed Tina Douglas to act as their barrister who again has a wealth of experience in wind farm Inquiries.

All the arguments that were put forward as reasons for rejection are still in place. Importantly the Highways Agency and Marshalls Airport will be sending expert witnesses to forcibly defend their objections. We are very confident that the Inspector will agree with us that this is a totally unsuitable site.

Statement of Case

The first stage of the process is to prepare a Statement of Case which we have sent to the Planning Inspectorate. Ours and the Council's and Your Energy's are due in by the 19th January and we will then get sight of the other two. We are allowed to comment on these by the 9th February. Then we move onto the Pre-Inquiry which may well be in February. Here the Inspector, who has been appointed, meets all the parties and sorts out the logistics for the actual Inquiry. So a lot to do!

Wadlow Farm Wind Farm

For those of you who might have missed it there is an application going in shortly by Renewable Energy Systems for a 13 turbine wind farm at West Wratting ( next to the A11 near Six Mile Bottom ). www.wadlow-farm.co.uk These turbines will be 120m high and show how the rush for developers gold will lead to the whole countryside being despoiled with applications going in all over the county.

The 12 turbine wind farm at Warboys, on the Chatteris Rd. at Tick Fen, has just started construction which is good news as it will show people just how big a 100m turbine is in reality.

Also there are now 8 turbines up at the wind farm being built outside Whittlesey at Ramsey Mereside although they are not operational yet.

Fund Raising

50 supporters celebrated the New Year at Conington and managed to raise getting on for £2,300, as well as having a great time! Many thanks to our excellent hosts Keith and Helen.

We have now raised over £20,000 for the appeal and thank you to everyone who has been so generous to date. However, we need at least £40,000 if we are to put up our best case and we must do if our local countryside is not going to suffer for the next 25 years!

So any contribution to our fighting fund will gratefully be received Donations

We will be holding future fund raising events in the near future so keep a close eye on the website.

FIGHT THE APPEAL