Fears wind farm will scare horses
MK News|September 27, 2006
Plans to build 16 wind turbines across a historic bridleway could decimate a local stables business. Up to 120 horses and ponies use Three Shires Way at Nun Wood, near Lavendon, Bozeat and Harrold but, if approved, the 125m high turbines would surround the animals. Milton Keynes Council is currently listening to objections to Npower’s application, including the concerns of the family-run Lower Farm Stables, on Castle Road. There are fears that horse riders would no longer be able to use the bridleway as the noise and light disturbance from the 90m blades would create a potential safety hazard. The British Horse Society recommend that turbines should be no nearer than 375m from bridleways but at Nun Wood some would be as close as 215m.
Plans to build 16 wind turbines across a historic bridleway could decimate a local stables business. Up to 120 horses and ponies use Three Shires Way at Nun Wood, near Lavendon, Bozeat and Harrold but, if approved, the 125m high turbines would surround the animals. Milton Keynes Council is currently listening to objections to Npower’s application, including the concerns of the family-run Lower Farm Stables, on Castle Road. There are fears that horse riders would no longer be able to use the bridleway as the noise and light disturbance from the 90m blades would create a potential safety hazard. The British Horse Society recommend that turbines should be no nearer than 375m from bridleways but at Nun Wood some would be as close as 215m.
Plans to build 16 wind turbines across a historic bridleway could decimate a local stables business.
Up to 120 horses and ponies use Three Shires Way at Nun Wood, near Lavendon, Bozeat and Harrold but, if approved, the 125m high turbines would surround the animals.
Milton Keynes Council is currently listening to objections to Npower’s application, including the concerns of the family-run Lower Farm Stables, on Castle Road.
There are fears that horse riders would no longer be able to use the bridleway as the noise and light disturbance from the 90m blades would create a potential safety hazard.
The British Horse Society recommend that turbines should be no nearer than 375m from bridleways but at Nun Wood some would be as close as …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Plans to build 16 wind turbines across a historic bridleway could decimate a local stables business.
Up to 120 horses and ponies use Three Shires Way at Nun Wood, near Lavendon, Bozeat and Harrold but, if approved, the 125m high turbines would surround the animals.
Milton Keynes Council is currently listening to objections to Npower’s application, including the concerns of the family-run Lower Farm Stables, on Castle Road.
There are fears that horse riders would no longer be able to use the bridleway as the noise and light disturbance from the 90m blades would create a potential safety hazard.
The British Horse Society recommend that turbines should be no nearer than 375m from bridleways but at Nun Wood some would be as close as 215m.
There would also be a 14- month construction period involving the building of 7.6 miles of access roads at the site.
Lower Farm Stables has trained and employed hundreds of staff over the last 20 years but manager Kate Gregory fears they will be forced to close the business if the plans are given the go-ahead.
Mrs Gregory said: “Once some of the largest-ever turbines go up it is going to make this route inaccessible and put clients off leaving their horses with us.
“We have always marketed ourselves on our good quality riding so it would definitely be curtains for us if this goes ahead.
“Horses don’t like sudden movements, any noise from the turbines would upset them and any flickering would cause them to bolt – there could be a very serious accident.” She added: “Most of our horses are competition horses or thoroughbreds so there is no way that they will cope with the construction.
“We have to take some of the young horses out to break them in but this would make our ability to do that severely compromised.
“There are also quite a lot of children in the village who ride small ponies but their parents don’t know about this situation and the dangers posed to their children’s safety.” Any objections must be submitted to Milton Keynes Council by October 5.