Missed Opportunity to tackle climate change
Jill Wareham, Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for the Isle of Wight, expressed extreme regret at the recommendation to the planning committee to refuse the wind turbine application at Cheverton Down.
Jill commented "I am extremely disappointed to learn of the recommendation to refuse the wind turbine application. This will be a missed opportunity for the Island to play its part in climate change and to give confidence to Vestas to remain on the Island. There is already planning permission for three smaller wind turbines on the Cheverton Down site for 52 meter blade tip height which will provide power for an estimated 453 homes. This new application takes into account changes in technology and proposes to increase the height to 125 metres which will increase output to supply the equivalent of 4532 homes, a ten-fold increase in output. The new turbines are predicted to save between 14, 094 and 15, 568 tonnes of CO2 per annum.
It is nonsense to refuse the application on grounds of visual impact when close by stands the TV masts at Rowridge (491 ft) and Chillerton which is 228 metres high (almost twice the height of the turbines).
"This Council has failed dismally to hit its targets to become an 'Eco-Island'. They refused to sign up to the 10:10 campaign, they've missed their own targets to reduce carbon emission and the final nail in the coffin is this missed opportunity that we on the Island could help to tackle climate change. This Council is all rhetoric and no action - a damning indictment for our future generations."