Wind farm at RAF Wind farm at RAF Harrington Harrington Public meeting Public meeting Maidwell Maidwell 17 17 th th September 2008 September 2008
Mar 26, 2015
Wind farm at RAF Wind farm at RAF HarringtonHarrington
Public meetingPublic meeting
MaidwellMaidwell
1717thth September 2008 September 2008
What is it?What is it?
A proposal from Nuon Renewables A proposal from Nuon Renewables Ltd to build a wind farm at ‘RAF Ltd to build a wind farm at ‘RAF Harrington’Harrington’
Will erect 8 x 125m high turbines, Will erect 8 x 125m high turbines, each with a maximum output of each with a maximum output of 2.5MW (million watts, or 2.5MW (million watts, or ‘megawatts’)‘megawatts’)
How high is 125m?How high is 125m?
410 feet!410 feet! Burton Wold turbines are 99.5mBurton Wold turbines are 99.5m Centre Point in London is 117mCentre Point in London is 117m The London Eye is 135m and atThe London Eye is 135m and at 127.5m the Northampton 127.5m the Northampton
‘Lighthouse’ is more or less the same‘Lighthouse’ is more or less the same
How much energy will be How much energy will be harvested?harvested?
In this area of low winds speeds, the In this area of low winds speeds, the turbines will struggle to do better than turbines will struggle to do better than 20-25% of the maximum, so giving about 20-25% of the maximum, so giving about 43,800 ‘megawatt hours’ of power43,800 ‘megawatt hours’ of power
Sizewell B nuclear station last year Sizewell B nuclear station last year produced 8.9 ‘Terawatt hours’ or what produced 8.9 ‘Terawatt hours’ or what 203 similar wind farms might generate203 similar wind farms might generate
Most large coal fired stations are rated Most large coal fired stations are rated at 1000-2000MW capacityat 1000-2000MW capacity
EconomicsEconomics
So little energy? Why is onshore wind
generation being pushed so hard?
Who pays? Who profits?
Where will it be?Where will it be?
or from the air …or from the air …
Dilemma?Dilemma?
We all see the sense in We all see the sense in renewable energyrenewable energy
None of us want to be NIMBY’sNone of us want to be NIMBY’s The question is whether or not The question is whether or not
this development, at this place, this development, at this place, with this technology, and at this with this technology, and at this time, is sensibletime, is sensible
Will it create a nuisance and if so
why?
Landscape Landscape
““Oxendon, Kelmarsh, Maidwell … Square Oxendon, Kelmarsh, Maidwell … Square Norman towers with arrow slits, thatched Norman towers with arrow slits, thatched
pubs, tiny Victorian railways stations, pubs, tiny Victorian railways stations, nesting in a bosky countryside of high nesting in a bosky countryside of high
hedges and dense copses. It was enough hedges and dense copses. It was enough to make you want to beak into a chorus to make you want to beak into a chorus
of ‘There’ll always be an England …”of ‘There’ll always be an England …”Robert Harris ENIGMA, (Arrow Books 1996) Robert Harris ENIGMA, (Arrow Books 1996)
page273page273
Will it be visible?Will it be visible?
It is hard to imagine It is hard to imagine concrete towers of this concrete towers of this heightheight
but go and have a look!but go and have a look!
Noise, health, shadow flicker
and so on?
There is no clear limitation on the distance of turbines from dwellings, despite clear medical evidence that turbines within 1.2 km (in some cases 1.5 km) from habitations have caused medical problems. In France the ruling is 2 km. in the USA figures of 1.5 and 2.0 miles (in California) have been mentioned.
Companion Guide to PPS 22 at para. 37, page 166, simply asks: "Is the site constrained by a population centre, or scattered dwellings?"
Blue Circles - 1.2 km - Clear medical evidence of problemsBlack Circles- 2.0 km - As in FranceRed Circles - 4 km (2.5 miles) - Striking visual impact, subject to topography
Other impacts
Local AmenitiesLocal Amenities
Harrington Museum and Harrington Museum and Monument?Monument?
Brampton Valley Way?Brampton Valley Way? Ecology?Ecology? Public rights of way? British Public rights of way? British
Horse Society recommends a Horse Society recommends a minimum of 3 times the height or minimum of 3 times the height or 375m from bridleways375m from bridleways
Into the future …Into the future …
Grid connection: pylons?Grid connection: pylons? More turbines, as at Burton More turbines, as at Burton
Wold?Wold? Effect on house sales and prices?Effect on house sales and prices?
Cumulative effectsCumulative effects
““Cumulative effects are also required to Cumulative effects are also required to be taken into account where not only be taken into account where not only two or more wind energy developments two or more wind energy developments are visible from the same point, but are visible from the same point, but also are visible shortly after each other also are visible shortly after each other along the same journey. Thus just along the same journey. Thus just because no other sites are visible from because no other sites are visible from the proposed wind energy development the proposed wind energy development site it should not be assumed there are site it should not be assumed there are not cumulative effects.”not cumulative effects.” (Companion (Companion Guide to PPS 22 para. 5.23, page 62)Guide to PPS 22 para. 5.23, page 62)
There are at least NINE other proposals within
a few miles of the section of A14 from
Kettering to Catthorpe