10th December 2007

Paul Sexton Esq

Planning and Sustainable Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council

Cambourne

CAMBRIDGE

CB23  6EA

Dear Mr Sexton

Proposed 7 wind turbine development at Merry’s Farm Great Eversden

The Request for a Scoping Opinion by Daly International has been received here, has been carefully studied and information about it placed on the villages’ website. We have also contacted Daly International direct for further information. The Request was then discussed at the Parish Council meeting last night.

The first comment to which all agreed was that there was nothing like enough information in the Request for us to form a reasonable judgement. Much more detail must be supplied. In particular information about the type, amount and frequency of the construction traffic is a source of much concern. The construction of the water towers up there is as nothing compared to the components and materials required for seven wind turbines. Their blades alone at some 30 metres long will be a severe test of all the roads in Great Eversden including the bends round St Mary’s Church and in particular the newly resurfaced Wimpole Road.

The second thing which became clear was that there is by no means a consensus against the proposal. The green credentials of wind turbines and the necessity of means to reduce carbon emissions are well appreciated. Whether these turbines in this particular place are an acceptable compromise is something of a value judgement. It is not a decision to be rushed.

We noted the strong opposition of the Wildlife Trust and felt that the points they made were very valid and would require carefully reasoned answers.

Although this exact comparison was not made at the meeting it must be acknowledged that these turbines will have a very similar impact on the Cambridgeshire south-western skyline as the recent suggested development by CEMEX of the Barrington cement works. The towers are more slender but there are more of them and because of their motion they attract attention over a very wide area. This ridge is a peaceful and beautiful area with wonderful views, not all that common in a generally flat county. These turbines will be a very serious intrusion.

Much of the rest of the Request is devoted either to describing gaps in the knowledge about the effects or to listing groups and organisations who have yet to respond to the request from Daly. Of the points already made almost all require further research and information gathering.

Great and Little Eversden Parish Council have resolved that a leaflet should be distributed to all the houses in the two villages. This will be carried out under our own arrangements but cannot be completed before your deadline of 14th December 2007.

This council resolved that the proposal should be made public forthwith so that all those in the considerable area affected would be informed at an early stage. In that connection this council felt it unfortunate at the very least that they should first hear about this development in Great Eversden from a friend amongst the Stage 1 consultees. In our view the laid down procedure for such things is defective and needs changing now.

We look forward to the Stage 2 Consultation process. The public here will be much better informed by that time.

Yours sincerely

J C P Dalton, Chairman