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Daly International, on behalf of our client Volkswind UK Ltd, would like to take this opportunity to elaborate upon the information shown on The Eversden Website regarding the proposed wind farm development on land associated with Merry’s Farm, Great Eversden.

As the website states, the proposal is indeed at a very early stage. Currently it is proposed to site seven 80m to ‘hub’ turbines (with a maximum height above ground level including blade length of 125m) on agricultural land to the south of Great Eversden. A proposed siting layout is attached – however as explained below this design is potentially subject to much change.

At this juncture Daly International is undertaking consultation with 36 consultees including statutory bodies (i.e. South Cambridgeshire Council/Natural England/CAA) and non-statutory bodies (i.e. National Trust/RSPB/The Ramblers Association) to gather initial comments on the proposal. Changes or major concerns requiring mitigation stated in responses received, assuming feasible to implement from all relevant aspects, may result in changes to the proposal such as the siting of the turbines, turbine height & number of turbines – all assuming said changes would not inherently jeopardise the operational effectiveness of the project or could not mitigated against in some other manner.

It is this revised design that would become the focus of consultation with the local population and appropriate stakeholders (including the 36 consulted to date). 

Daly International would therefore like to clarify that the design and siting as shown on the attached plan does not necessarily purport to represent the final scheme.  Indeed some initial consultee responses recommend changes are required to overcome concerns relevant to the stakeholder group concerned. Additionally ongoing ecological, historical, visual, noise and other pertinent surveys are inevitably likely to raise issues requiring alterations and/or mitigation measures to reduce ‘impacts’ to demonstrably acceptable levels. Needless to say all relevant procedural guidelines are being followed and a full Environmental Impact Assessment will be produced to accompany any planning application.

It is fully appreciated that the site lies within a landscape of high visual value (i.e. Green Belt) containing significant areas of ecological, historical and similar areas of value. Within such a locale development such as that proposed is inevitably received with different levels of enthusiasm – indeed a variety of opinions have already been expressed both in full support and raising concerns.

Daly International would therefore like to request that whilst there will inevitably be differences in opinion as the project develops, all stakeholders recognise the environmental benefits associated with this form of development - development which will, albeit in a small way given the overall scale of the nationwide drive in the renewable energy industry, contribute towards meeting European and Central Government aims to tackle climate change. There will inevitably be other benefits arising from the proposal evident as the project develops, of benefit to the locale as well as the wider contribution towards the undoubtedly common goal to all of, as the Sustainable Development Commission stated in 2005, ‘saving energy and reducing our dependence on traditional means of power generation which will help to safeguard the landscape for the use and enjoyment of future generations’. 

It is respectfully opined that we cannot afford to ignore this global wide issue or simply desire renewable energy schemes be sited elsewhere, in the hope that the problem will ‘rectify itself’.  Accordingly, whilst this proposal by definition does of course have an economic side to it, it is the writer’s opinion that the environmental benefits arising from the development coupled with the use of the forefront renewable energy technology available, must remain uppermost in all parties minds when considering this proposal.

Within this context Daly International and Volkswind both understand that in order to achieve the above aims, the desired goal of securing planning consent and thereafter being able to implement an essential renewable energy generating development, that it is absolutely critical to listen to and where possible adapt the scheme to meet stakeholder expectations. 

It is therefore requested that interested parties understand and appreciate that Volkswind will absolutely not bypass stakeholder concerns.  Instead it is hoped that when Daly International are in a position to consult the wider general public and appropriate stakeholders on the ‘final’ scheme, that all stakeholders will grasp the opportunity to actively participate in the project, take ownership of the positive benefits resulting from the same and assist in contributing towards the success of the project and the benefits arising there from.

I would like to finish by quoting Friends of the Earth who in 2005 stated ‘if we don’t switch to cleaner forms of energy, climate change will severely and irrevocably alter much of our landscape and the animal and plant life it contains’. Without wishing to belittle in any way, shape or form other entirely legitimate concerns which some of you may hold, the above statement does, in the opinion of the writer, reflect the overriding and arguably most important goal in ensuring the long term protection of our environment.

Should you wish to ask any questions at this early stage in the project please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned.

Iain Taylor