Industrial Wind Turbines

Renewable Energy

What are the best choices  for Dorset?

Renewable energies include solar, wave, biomass, heat pumps and wind energy, all of which are produced directly or indirectly from the sun, together with tidal and geothermal energies. They are secure, essentially inexhaustible and give rise to little pollution.      

It is important to choose those Renewable Energies which are truly cost effective rather than being subsidised with public money, and they should also be relatively unobtrusive in the countryside. Click here to read Dr John Larkin’s full article on renewable energy options first published in the Dorset CPRE Autumn Review 2010.

General Reports on Renewable Energy
This is a excellent Kent CPRE report on all forms of renewable energy - a good introduction to the subject.
Renewable Energy Technologies - Kent CPRE.

Please visit the Save Our Silton and DART (Dorset Against Rural Turbines) web sites to read facts on Wind Turbines and to access presentation material.

Renewable Energy Consultation 2011
Dorset County Council are refreshing the Bournemouth, Dorset, and Poole renewable energy strategy to bring it up to date. The public consultation period will run from  June to 30th September 2011. Please see the consultation document on the Dorset County Council’s Website for questions and response details. Dorset CPRE met with Dorset County Council representatives to discuss the strategy. Dorset CPRE has commissioned the leading Energy Expert, Colin Godfrey, Managing Director of CLG Energy Consultants Ltd., to do a critique of the Dorset draft County Renewable Energy Strategy.

A new Report from the Society for Wind Vigilance finds that the noise from

industrial wind turbines impacts human health.

Wind Turbine applications in Dorset

East Stoke Alaska Wind Farm
We learnt on 4th October 2011 that Infinergy has lodged an appeal with the Inspectorate. The site developers have appealed against a refusal of planning permission by Purbeck District Councillors. The appeal is expected to be held at Wareham in February. DART (Dorset Against Rural Turbines) and Dorset CPRE are planning a hard hitting Campaign to fight this Appeal. Read report in Daily Echo 6th October 2011.

Dorset CPRE, has agreed to give financial backing to fight an appeal over four giant wind turbines near East Stoke in the Purbecks. The Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England group is to match the money already raised by opponents of the scheme – and has promised more if a local appeal is successful.

It’s thought that legal and specialist representation at the hearing could cost more than £40,000. The company behind the turbine scheme wants to build four generator towers up to 400 feet high next to the year-round Scout Camp at Buddens Farm which adjoins an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

"CPRE and the Dorset Against Rural Turbines group believe the site is not suitable for the turbines and will have a detrimental affect on the AONB and for thousands of young people who use the campsite for a range of activities," said CPRE Dorset Director, Trevor Bevins.

"So far Dorset does not have any commercial wind turbines. We don't believe this is the place to start."

CPRE branch chairman Richard Nicholls said he was delighted with the decision to give financial backing to the opponents of the wind farm. The decision was taken by the branch committee meeting on Thursday 10 November 2011.

DART need to raise the minimum £20k by 28th NOVEMBER, to enable them to register by 2nd DECEMBER. This will enable DART and their representative specialists to fight on the minimum grounds with the planning inspectorate, if they can raise more after this date then they can add additional specialists to assist our fight.

If you would like to contribute to the fund, please make cheque payable to DART and post to treasurer Mr D Littlewood, Marston Gate, Rushton Lane, East Stoke, BH20 6AL.

Background to this application
Infinergy announced plans for 4 industrial wind turbines at East Stoke, near Wool, on top of the Stokeford Heath ridge. The 4 turbines 410 feet (125 metres) high will dominate the whole of the Purbeck Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and part of the Jurassic Coast. The DART (Dorset Against Rural Turbines) Action Group committee developed a reasoned set of objections to the application for 4 industrial wind turbines at East Stoke near Wool.

Members of the Purbeck District Council Planning Board met on 30th November at the Purbeck School, Wareham to determine the proposal for planning application no. 6/2010/0082 . The democratic Planning Board of Purbeck District Council firmly rejected the Planning Application on March 31 2011 on the grounds of the visual impact on the Purbeck AONB and Dorset landscapes, and the harmful noise impact of the 4 industrial turbines on the year-round Dorset Scout Camp in the next field.

Wind Turbine application for Seaborough Manor Farm
Dorset CPRE have sent a strong letter of objection to application I/D/11/000596 as it is incompatible with the designation of the Dorset AONB. This application has since been withdrawn.

Wind Farm  being built off Dorset Jurassic Coast
Dorset CPRE will not object to this off-shore Windfarm. It does not impact Dorset Countryside and the electrical cables will be buried underground - pylons will not be needed.

Silton Wind Turbines application - near Gillingham

On 2nd March the application for 4 gigantic industrial wind turbines at Silton was firmly rejected by the North Dorset Planning Committee – for the 2nd time. The Planning Officer objected that the height and layout of the Windfarm will damage the nationally designated Purbeck Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

On 4th October 2011 an appeal was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate in respect of the Council’s refusal of the above-mentioned application 2/2010/0731/PLNG.  It will be dealt with by way of a Public Inquiry.