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Too much too soon for turbine firm?
b13-155 Ravensden wind turbine meeting held at village hall.
Villagers opposing a mega turbine near Ravensden have heard the company proposing the structure has never built a turbine this big before.
Last week we reported that residents and councillors turned out in force at a public meeting about the proposals for the turbine on Sunderland Hill, which would be nearly four times the height of the Angel Of The North.
But some fear that the credentials of Northamptonshire-based firm Offgrid Power are just not there, after they admitted this was their first scheme on this scale.
Resident Mike Hudson said: “This very small company, which Matt Snell admitted at the meeting has not yet built a single turbine of the size in question, is asking the people of Ravensden and Bedford Borough Council to trust them to construct one here and maintain it safely for up to 25 years.
“I feel that the current planning application should be rejected outright on the track record of the applicants alone.
“I don’t think that Mr Wootton, on whose land the turbine would stand, would have wished to be involved had he known of that track record.
“However I also feel that any application for such a structure should be rejected on the basis of its sheer dominance on the horizon of North Bedfordshire and detrimental effect on the character of the landscape.”
But the firm claimed this week residents could look forward to becoming a carbon neutral community.
Grahame Orr, speaking on behalf of the company, said: “We are not the big bad city boys coming in and developing a bit of land for money. If it was for money we would give the community £500 and stick by the planning policy guidance.
“At the meeting I felt that it was very personal and there was little mention of the benefits it could bring.”
He added: “Once that turbine is up it’s bringing in an income every year.
“That turbine is a separate entity and if Offgrid were to close that turbine would still be bringing in an income and the assurance and maintenance provisions would still be in place.
“Subject to the effectiveness of the turbine between £10,000 and £15,000 would go into a local community fund.”
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Weather for Bedford
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Thunderstorm
Temperature: 13 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
