5th October 2007      A proposal to establish a wind farm on the field on the west side of the Mere Way is in the VERY EARLY stages of the consultation process. At this stage many bodies are approached with an outline scheme which will be adjusted in the light of their response. IF or WHEN the scheme meets their approval, FULL LOCAL CONSULTATION will then take place. This will include public presentations, communication with every household, visual impact simulations tailored to your house, questionnaires, and any other steps necessary. Should the scheme pass "the bat test" and all the other tests devised by national (like RSPB, National Trust, etc) and local (like you and me) interests, then Merry's Farm wind farm would supply energy to the National Grid within about 5 to 10 years' time.

The proposal is for about 7 (or fewer) wind turbines spread throughout this large field. The land would remain as farmland thereby safeguarding the integrity of Merry's Farm. The initial proposal was that the turbines would be about 120m high, but it is likely that the height would be substantially reduced in response to local advice.

(The wind turbine at Wood Green Animal Shelter, Huntingdon, is 43 metres tall)

This website intends to maintain a neutral stance on this matter until local opinion has been sounded. The case for finding renewable energy sources is self-evident. The suitability of the on-shore wind farm as such a source  is less clear.

Should the proposal get through to the Public Consultation stage, some may support the establishment of a wind farm on our doorstep as an attraction as well as a worthwhile if small gesture towards saving the planet. On the other hand, some may oppose it believing the price to pay in local environmental terms too high.

6.10.07 The Agency who is negotiating the scheme is Daly International. Mr Iain Taylor is Daly International's Senior Town Planner Click to read Iain Taylor's response to this web page. The item is published exactly as received.

Here are a few links relating to wind farms:

http://.www.countryguardian.net/case.htm

http://www.warmwell.com/windfarms.html

http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/projects/op_ecotech.html

http://www.stop-wadlow-wind-farm.org.uk

http://www.stopcambridgewindfarm.org.uk/

http://www.stoplwf.org.uk

http://www.themightyorgan.com/features_wind.html