News
District and county councillor Andrew Lewer says he sees the decision to allow an appeal and grant permission for four turbines near to Carsington Water as a "nail in the coffin for local democracy".
He was on the Southern Area Planning Committee when the original plans, for four 100m turbines, were put before planners who refused to grant planning permission.
The decision was overturned recently following an eight-day enquiry in the summer and Cllr Lewer has now expressed his concerns over the safety of the forthcoming site, after seeing video of a turbine smashing itself to pieces in high winds.
He said: "The video on Youtube has been viewed a million times and shows a wind turbine in Denmark destroying itself and scattering debris at high level in all directions.
"This video makes chilling viewing. Locating these turbines directly above and so close to the village of Carsington clearly has aesthetic implications that may also prompt safety concerns.
"But I feel it makes a useful contribution to debate over wind turbines, especially those close to dwellings.
"I cannot but be disappointed by the planning inspector's decision to reverse the determination about wind turbines above Carsington we made, after long careful deliberations at our meetings in Ashbourne.
"A resident near to the area that will be affected described it as a nail in the coffin of local democracy - a view that I find it difficult to dispute.
"I am just saying that any debate can only take place in a local and democratic manner with the knowledge that the real power over whether permissions are or are not granted lies with others who are much less accountable for the results."
The footage, which can be seen on the News Telegraph, website shows a small turbine in Denmark exploding in high winds after suffering a failure of its braking system in heavy gales.
Pieces of the large propeller shatter as the technical fault allows it to spin much faster than the delicate structure can take.
Suddenly an arm of the propeller gives way and bends, smashing itself on the column and obliterating the three fast moving prongs, sending pieces of them shooting off in all directions.
At the same time, the column is chopped in half, and the top part of the turbine bends over and tumbles to the ground below.
Adam Summerhayes, from nearby Carsington village, was one of the people campaigning against the building of the turbines.
He said he too was worried about the safety aspect - particularly as the blades are 50 metres away from the High Peak Trail.
He said: "We have, of course, looked in to the dangers and it's something that we've all talked about - it's in the back of your mind that accidents do happen.
"Blades have been known to shatter, or even fly off and land over 400 metres away but we don't just sit there trembling, we have to just get on with it, and perhaps it's time to let it go now."
Developers West Coast Energy insist that the turbines are safe, and say they are looking forward to engaging with the community over the future of the site.
Steve Salt, Planning director said: "There are something like 70,000 wind turbines around the world and in all those years nobody has ever been harmed by wind turbines.
"We are quite confident Carsington Wind Farm will be safe and won't be of any risk to the surrounding community."
| < prev | next > |



