Home Page

Householders Against Rushey- Mead Wind Turbine Project (Affecting Arborfield, Earley & Shinfield )

Hi to all supporters,

as you will be aware the developers of the proposed wind farm PfR have begun the process leading to a planning application in Sept/October, so HARM have responded by launching our new website which you will find at; www.rushymeadharm.org

You will see details of the HARM event held recently where we invited byways users to see the proposed site and some showed their concern about the proposal by wearing posters. Approaching 100 people turned out and the BBC covered the event, so thank you if you participated.

In the last couple of weeks PfR held meetings to show their photomontages, which were the subject of much concern for us as they do not comply with the latest standards. Google-earth was used to demonstrate the visual effect the turbines would have on individual properties, but this is not recommended as a good way to present a visualisation. HARM asked a question at the following Executive meeting of WBC to press that the new Highland Council Standards be applied when the application is made. We will update you on developments, but we're sure that you are as anxious as us that the best possible images are supplied when the application is made so that the decision makers can be best informed. Details of the new Highland Standards are shown on the new website, as is our FAQ's which might be of interest.

A few supporters of HARM will be present at the Earley Green Fair on Saturday 10am to 30pm to raise awareness of the issue. If you attend, do introduce yourself, we would love to meet our supporters in person. There will be more information available too, and we can take time to discuss your concerns and advise you about how you can help in the coming months. Details of more events to follow.

Kind regards,

Jan Heard
HARM Steering Committee

The University of Reading is working with Partnerships for Renewables, a commercial profit making company, to develop a wind energy project on University land. The current plan is to construct up to 5 turbines with 80m towers and 50m blades. That’s 5 wind turbines each larger than the Green Park turbine. The current plans would put these towers within 550m of the closest housing.

There are mixed views about the positive and negative impact of wind turbines on the environment. The long term impact on health is also unclear. However, one area of converging opinion is that the negative impacts of wind turbines can be significantly reduced by ensuring that their location maintains a minimum set-back distance from housing.

Many EU countries, e.g. Germany, Spain and Italy, have legal minimum building separation distances, but as yet England does not. A private members bill has been put before Parliament, that proposes that the minimum distance between housing and wind turbines over 100m in height should be 2.4 km. This has no chance of becoming law, due to limited parliamentary time

Public Meeting to be held at The Royal British Legion Eversley Road Arborfield at 19.30 on 16th February 2010.

Dr Christopher Hanning is an acknowledged expert on Sleep Disturbance and the effects of Wind Turbines will address the meeting.

Dear All,

I am pleased to say that we have had a very good reaction from people generally following the Public Awareness Meeting held on 16th February 2010, and the steering committee has now met to discuss the next steps. We feel that it is imperative that opposition to this project is communicated directly to the decision makers now, and we need your help for this.

Please, all communicate with your local representatives, this will give them the confidence to act on our behalf. To help you we have attached specimen letters, but remember it is more effective if they are personalised. A petition was suggested, but as this only counts as 'one objection' we have been advised against - personal letters are taken much more seriously.

Suggestions;

1.It is clear that the Planning law currently in place fails to adequately protect us from wind turbines being sited in inappropriate places. Please write to the Department of Energy and Climate change asking them to review the current planning rules without delay. ( Use the MP letter draft as a basis for this letter)

2. Write to your MP, asking that he use his influence with the Dept for Climate Change. Presumably this will be John Redwood - though some residents in northern Earley may have a Reading MP.

3.Write to your Parish or Town Council and tell them that you are concerned and that you want them to represent your views when this matter comes before them as a formal planning application.

4. Your Borough Councillor is in place to represent the interests of the community, to campaign for improvements to your quality of life and plays a leading role as a community leader. Write to him and ensure that he knows about your concerns.

5. We are keen to extend the steering committee to include representatives from Shinfield, Lower Earley and Sindlesham, so if you would like to help please let us know. We will then arrange a meeting for the wider group, and appeal for ideas for further actions.

6. A web-site for the campaign is in the process of being designed, so please be ready with contributions - such as articles, comments, contacts etc.

7. After the Awareness Meeting on 16th Feb we were contacted by a number of local organisations that represent residents in the area, asking for information, and/or a visit from us. If you are involved in any local groups please let us know - it is a great way to disseminate information.

Further events are planned for when the planning application is submitted so that people can see just how big these turbines will be.

Even though we are proposing that you write to your MP, Borough Councillor and Parish/ Town Council now, it is very important that you write again with your objection when the planning application arrives at Wokingham Borough Council Planning Department (estimated end of May).

Insert your comment