North Cornwall Under Siege!
People in North Cornwall, and Davidstow in particular, are feeling increasingly under siege by renewable energy companies.
There are currently four operational wind farms in North Cornwall; St Breock near Wadebridge, Cold Northcott at Laneast and Delabole, the fourth, Bears Down wind farm, is located in the council areas of North Cornwall and Restormel. This is currently the most powerful wind farm in Cornwall.
Four further wind farms are proposed of which two, Otterham and Tichbarrow, are both in planning with NCDC and a third at Crimp/Morwenstow has been granted permission to build three turbines at Crimp near the Devon-Cornwall border following its refusal by NCDC.
View of Roughtor over Crowdy Reservoir
The fourth, at Davidstow forestry, is not yet in planning, although the company was expected to submit an application by the end of 2007. This major wind development, which would be the largest in Cornwall, the company claims "will give Cornwall its much needed remaining 50% of the 2010 renewable energy target".
Starlings coming in to roost in Davidstow woods
There are also plans for a bioheat development at the Dairy Crest factory at Davidstow.
The major wind development at Davidstow forestry, the smaller one at Tichbarrow and the bioheat project at Dairy Crest are all within the parish of Davidstow.
The proposal at Otterham is in a neighbouring parish to Davidstow, as is the existing Cold Northcott wind farm at Laneast.
The company that operates Delabole wind farm announced in June 2007, that it plans to replace the existing turbines with new, even larger, turbines.
Powergen Renewables, the company that operates St Breock wind farm, has already obtained planning approval to replace the old turbines with much larger turbines.
If these new proposals go ahead, then together with the existing installations this one small area of North Cornwall would be carrying a hugely disproportionate burden for meeting the renewable energy target for the whole of Cornwall.
Whilst we understand the need for this country to find alternative means of energy production, we feel that we are being unfairly targeted by wind energy companies.
This area is already contributing its fair share towards meeting Cornwall's renewable energy target and we feel that if these new developments are forced upon us, it would amount to nothing less than discrimination against the people of North Cornwall!
We think there should be open and truthful consultation about these proposals. Whatever you think the solution is, please involve yourself in the debate. We are confident that the arguments in favour of wind power as a significant, secure source of energy within the UK are weak.
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