Interview on Radio Kent - Monday 18th February

If you think your house value won't be affected by Ecotricity's monstrous wind turbines, think again. In a ruling last month by the Advertising Standards Authority, Ecotricity have now had to withdraw the claim made that "Wind Farms have no long term detrimental effect on house prices".

You can hear our interview with Bob Dale on Radio Kent (96.7FM or 104.2FM) on Monday morning, 18th February, at 6.39am and 8.39am. Our representatives are Les Barratt (Initial complainant), Mandy Tragner, Ronald Lello and Richard Smithson.

UK renewables (Umberella group for the wind farm industry) will have the right to reply at 7.39am.

Please tune in and listen and let us know your feelings at sellindgeresidents@gmail.com

Kind regards
Les Barratt

BBC Radio Kent interview and BBC South East TV

Ronald would like to thank all those who came along to our demonstration at the Sellindge Sports & Social Club yesterday.

Ronald was interviewed on Radio Kent's breakfast show yesterday (29th September). This interview can be listened to again on iPlayer - just click on the link below and follow the instructions thereafter..... 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00ysxst/Saturday_Breakfast_29_09_2012/

Starting at 1 hour, 9 minutes and 46 seconds through the programme, there is a feature dedicated to Sellindge, including the excellent interview with Ronald Lello, lasting to 1 hour, 16 minutes, 22 seconds – well worth listening to. You can move the bar across to change the start point of the programme as normal. The hourly news has this event as the top story.  

Once again, many thanks.

Ronald Lello

Air photos of the Wind Turbine Demonstration

Please see the Air Photos of the Wind Turbine Demonstration on Saturday 29th Septmber, which can be seen at item 1 in the coloured Section 2 found in the right-hand column, entitled '* New 01) Air Photos of the Wind Turbine Demonstration

The Human Wind Turbine Day - 29th September 2012, 1.30pm, at Sellindge Sports & Social Club

ALDINGTON * BRABOURNE * COURT-AT- STREET * LYMPNE * LYMINGE NEWINGREEN * SELLINDGE * SMEETH * STANFORD

THE HUMAN WIND TURBINE DAY

A CHANGE OF PLAN

We now meet at Sellindge Sports & Social Club at 1.30pm on Saturday 29th September - CAR PARKING IS AVAILABLE BUT WALK IF YOU CAN. PHOTO CALL 2.30pm with a bar and refreshments available (click here to see a copy of the flyer in a new tab).

Come and all join together for the Villages demonstration on Saturday 29th September, 1.30pm at Sellindge Sports & Social Club for a massive show of force against all proposed seven huge wind turbine machines that would turn our Villages and our countryside into an industrial landscape for generations to come. Financial interests have long wanted to industrialise our part of the world. The seven huge wind turbine machines would open the way for a massive investment in factories and warehouses.

OUR HOMES, OUR VILLAGES, OUR COUNTRYSIDE : THEY ARE ALL WORTH FIGHTING FOR!

Together we can stop the industrialisation of our Villages

Let’s all say NO and let Ecotricity and the Planners know we mean NO to the proposed Industrial Wind Turbine Machines. Let’s improve life here – not destroy it!

We are going to meet at the Sports and Social Club in Swan Lane on Saturday 29th September where we will form a 125 metre (410ft) wind turbine by holding hands or laying down (if dry) with a huge N O alongside. Don't be put off If the weather is wet. Bring your brollies, these would look just as effective in the newspapers. Aerial photographs will be taken with press and media in attendance. Make a banner and have your say. You might see yourselves on TV. A bar and refreshments will be available with hog roast, burgers and hot dogs and there will be games for the children.

Yes please join us! Our Communities – our Homes and Villages and Countryside are all worth fighting for!

VOLUNTEERS WANTED - URGENT APPEAL

The event is so big that we need extra helpers to ensure that all goes to plan. You can be any age, any size and above all, willing.

We need Stewards for:
Car parking…..Coconut shy…..General assembling of Human Wind Turbine…..Raffle Tickets

HAS ANYONE GOT: A Megaphone?

Please email:  sellindgeresidents@gmail.com or telephone 01303-812593.

WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Thank you

Ronald Lello, Chairman Sellindge and District Residents Association

Act Now to Prevent the Proposed Harringe Brooks Wind Farm

Dear Residents,

Many of you will now have started to become aware of the recent application by Ecotricity for 6 industrial scale Wind Turbines visibly located amongst our homes and villages on a site at Harringe Brooks. This is in addition to an additional seventh Wind Turbine application that has already been submitted by Mr Price directly behind the homes at Barrow Hill. If successful, their impact on this area will be devastating and there can be little doubt that they will pave the way for further industrial processes to follow. Although the Sellindge and District Residents Association is not against renewable energy in situations where it brings clear benefits to communities, we do maintain that such applications must be done in a sensitive and considered way in full consultation with the local communities they will impact. These applications have clearly not been done in such a manner and therefore it has become necessary for a new Action Group to become established combining all of the local communities.

The new action group, SALVATION: Sellindge, Aldington, Lympne Villagers Against Turbines In Our Neighbourhood, will operate as a special part of the Sellindge Residents Association and will seek to combine the efforts of residents across Sellindge, Lympne, Aldington and numerous other villages and individuals from across the impacted area.

Many of you will have questions around the application itself and the impact it will have, along with how to prevent it from happening. You can find a great deal of this information on our website, where we have now set up a new Section under the heading: Harringe Brooks Wind Turbine Action Group - see Coloured Section 2 in the right-hand column). This also provides a link directly to the Shepway Planning site that has further details of the actual Wind Farm application, ref Y12/0451/SH. 

For those residents without email access, we will coordinate with those distributing the leaflets to get their telephone numbers, so that we can follow up with a call or visit as preferred to assist with the preparation and posting of any letters they wish to send to Shepway Planning.

Despite having had 2 years to prepare their application, the official closing date for our objections is 30th June, giving us very little time indeed and so we must act now! To emphasise the urgency of this campaign, we now have an email address at act4salvation@gmail.com that can be used for any comments, suggestions, queries or offers of support.

I have asked Tony Bosley to Chair this campaign on behalf of the Sellindge Residents Association in order to bring the villages of the area together in a combined and distinct Action Group. Please give him all of the support you can.

We are shortly arranging for leaflets / posters to be finalised and distributed, both in hard copy and via the internet for home printing to share the burden and cost. We will need to co-ordinate this in order to make sure all areas are covered, so please let us know via reply to our gmail address above if you can assist with this in any way - however small. Our first major challenge is to make everyone aware of what is being planned in scale and the impact it will have on us all. Many are aware of the environmental issues, but are many aware of the significant negative impact this will have on house prices in our area?

We do have a great deal of support already, including from our local MP – Damian Collins and hopefully from many of the local Parish Councils across the area, so we are already off to a great start, but need as many as possible to object by letter or by email on the Shepway planning website. Do look at our website for guidance on how to object, as it must be done in a particular way for your vote to count. However, objecting is simple and the more objections we can get registered, the better our chances will be. Do spread the word to neighbours and friends and if you can think of anything else we may have missed or can offer additional support in whatever form, please just let us know. We will continue to update everyone via emails and the website going forward on a regular basis, so if you don't wish to be included on these, or wish for others to be added, please just let us know at act4salvation@gmail.com.

We can win this fight to protect what we have and as local communities together, we will!

Kindest Regards

Ronald Lello - Chairman - Sellindge and District Residents Association

ASA ruling on Ecotricity and Property values

Click on the link below (which will open in a new tab) to view ASA's ruling on Ecotricity and Property values


ASA has published its ruling on Ecotricity and Property values

Safety fears grow after 80ft wind turbine collapses in gale.

The article below was published on 31st January 2013 in the Daily TelegraphTo read the article more easily (enlarge the print) click on the image below. Once finished, click on the back-arrow at the top left of the screen to return to the website and then navigate your way around as usual. Use the 'Home' page link in Section 1 to return to the start if you prefer. 

Claims in wind farm ad were 'misleading'

The article below was published in the Folkestone herald on 7th February 2012. To read the article more easily (enlarge the print) click on the image below. Once finished, click on the back-arrow at the top left of the screen to return to the website and then navigate your way around as usual. Use the 'Home' page link in Section 1 to return to the start if you prefer.

microlight aircraft runway - turbine concern?

From: Mavis Turton [mailto:mavis.turton@btinternet.com]
Sent: 04 December 2012 18:43
Subject: Fw: Wind turbines

Dear all

A quick reply from Mr Bliss
Mavis

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Leader@shepway.gov.uk" <Leader@shepway.gov.uk>
To: mavis.turton@btinternet.com
Sent: Tuesday, 4 December 2012, 10:46
Subject: RE: Wind turbines

Dear Ms Turton

Thank you for your further comments.  I will certainly forward them to the case officer for consideration by the Committee.

Regards

Cllr Robert Bliss

 Leader of the Council Shepway District Council, Civic Centre

From: Mavis Turton [mailto:mavis.turton@btinternet.com]
Sent: 04 December 2012 09:25
To: Leader
Subject: Re: Wind turbines

Dear Mr Bliss,

Further to my correspondence concerning wind turbines in Sellindge.  I hope you will take into consideration the fact that the proposed erection of a single wind turbine on Richard Price's farm is situated at the end of a microlight aircraft runway. To any flying machine landing there, especially when in a crisis situation, the turbine blades would present a real danger. I am sure that there would be helicopters approaching the Folkestone Racecourse as well.  I have family members who fly light aircraft, and often their flight path would be in a direct line with many of the proposed turbines. I am also concerned that our local Parish Council seems not to be considering any of the concerns of Sellindge residents, whereas all the other surrounding parishes have councils which voice opposition.  Because we seem to be the village most affected, I find this difficult to understand.

Kind regards,

Mavis Turton

From: "Leader@shepway.gov.uk" <Leader@shepway.gov.uk>
To: mavis.turton@btinternet.com
Sent: Wednesday, 7 November 2012, 14:19
Subject: RE: Wind turbines

Dear Ms Turton

 I have been in contact with the case officer handling the application and have been informed that the issue of ice build up on the turbine blades has been considered within the accompanying Environmental Statement (see attached link, Chapter 13 paragraph 13.5). Mitigation measures are suggested in the form of vibration sensors fitted to the turbines which would detect any inbalance in the blades and which would result in the turbines being shut down.

 http://www.ukplanning.com/ukp/findCaseFile.do?councilName=Shepway+District+Council&appNumber=Y12/0451/SH&action=Search

 It would appear that a solution to address your concerns has been considered within the application details. The matter you raise regarding the incident in Lammermuir Hills has been passed to the case officer for information.

 Yours sincerely

Cllr Robert Bliss
Leader of the Council

From: Mavis Turton [mailto:mavis.turton@btinternet.com]
Sent: 19 October 2012 13:17
To: Bliss, Robert Cllr
Subject: Wind turbines

Dear Mr Bliss, we have friends who live in West Lothian, Scotland.  They tell me that there are wind turbines in East Lothian, in the Lammermuir Hills.  They say that a man was killed when he was hit by ice, which was thrown off the turbine blades during cold weather. Notwithstanding the danger to people, there is a distinct danger of damage to property when the turbines are so near residential buildings.  The proposed turbines in our area seem to be sited at an unacceptable distance from peoples homes, and considering their position on the edge of the Romney Marsh, a very damp position, I would think that the turbine blades could become iced up, and would cause problems.  I have tried to contact the East Lothian Courier newspaper, which I believe serves the area, but I am having trouble doing this.  Perhaps you would be more successful.  It is quite important I would think, to find out exactly what happened in the Lammermuir Hills. Kind regards, Mavis Turton

Job Done on Wind Farms says John Hayes

Job Done on Wind Farms says John Hayes.... click on the link below to read more  (it will open in a new tab)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9676256/Job-done-on-wind-farms-says-John-Hayes.html

Once finished reading, return to the original tab and navigate the website as normal.

Wind Farms by Andrew Gilligan in the Sunday Telegraph 4th November 2012

From: Martin de Wolf
Sent: 04 November 2012 11:55
Subject: Wind Farms by Andrew Gilligan in the Sunday Telegraph 4th November 2012

 The following copied from The Sunday Telegraph today......

 It would appear that the guidelines laid down 16 years ago for how close wind farms can be to human habitation were based on a ""small" wind turbine, which today is nothing like the case.

 In my opinion, based  on this article, Shepway District Council should not permit on Health grounds any giant turbine closer than at least two miles from a building..... Let alone any other considerations..... The key sentence is

 "Dr Lee Moroney, director of planning at the Renewable Energy Foundation, said: “The UK noise limits were drawn up 16 years ago, when wind turbines were less than half the current size"

Regards

========================================================================

ENVIRONMENT

Wind farm noise does harm sleep and health, say scientists

Study warns of ‘clear and significant dangers’ as EU demands more renewables, writes Andrew Gilligan

WIND farm noise causes “clear and significant” damage to people’s sleep and mental health, according to the first full peer-reviewed scientific study of the problem.

American and British researchers compared two groups of residents in the US state of Maine. One group lived within a mile of a wind farm and the second group did not.

Both sets of people were demographically and socially similar, but the researchers found major differences in the quality of sleep the two groups enjoyed.

The findings provide the clearest evidence yet to support long-standing complaints from people living near turbines that the sound from their rotating blades disrupts sleep patterns and causes stress-related conditions.

The study will be used by critics of wind power to argue against new turbines being built near homes and for existing ones to be switched off or have their speed reduced, when strong winds cause their noise to increase.

The researchers used two standard scientific scales, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which measures the quality of night-time sleep, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, which measures how sleepy people feel when they are awake.

“Participants living near industrial wind turbines had worse sleep, as evidenced by significantly greater mean PSQI and ESS scores," the researchers, Michael Nissenbaum, Jeffery Aramini and Chris Hanning, found.

“There were clear and significant dose-response relationships, with the effect diminishing with increasing log-distance from turbines."

The researchers also tracked respondents’ “mental component scores” and found a “significant” link – probably caused by poor-quality sleep – between wind turbines and poorer mental health.

More than a quarter of participants in the group living near the turbines said they had been medically diagnosed with depression or anxiety since the wind farm started. None of the participants in the group further away reported such problems.

Each person was also asked if they had been prescribed sleeping pills. More than a quarter of those living near the wind farm said they had. Less than a tenth of those living further away had been prescribed sleeping pills.

According to the researchers, the study, in the journal Noise and Health, is the first to show clear relationships between wind farms and “important clinical indicators of health, including sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and mental health”.

Unlike some common forms of sleep-disturbing noise, such as roads, wind turbine noise varies dramatically, depending on the wind direction and speed. Unlike other forms of variable noise, however, such as railways and aircraft, it can continue for very long periods at a time. The nature of the noise – a rhythmic beating or swooshing of the blades – is also disturbing. UK planning guidance allows a night-time noise level from wind farms of 42 decibels – equivalent to the hum made by a fridge.

This means that turbines cannot be built less than 380-550 yards from human habitation, with the exact distance depending on the terrain and the size of the turbines.

However, as local concern about wind farm noise grows, many councils are now drawing up far wider cordons. Wiltshire, for instance, has recently voted to adopt minimum distances of between 0.6 to 1.8 miles, depending on the size of the turbines.

Dr Lee Moroney, director of planning at the Renewable Energy Foundation, said: “The UK noise limits were drawn up 16 years ago, when wind turbines were less than half the current size. Worse still, the guidelines permit turbines to be built so close to houses that wind turbine noise will not infrequently be clearly audible indoors at night time, so sleep impacts and associated health effects are almost inevitable.

“This situation is obviously unacceptable and creating a lot of angry neighbours, but the industry and government response is slow and very reluctant. Ministers need to light a fire under their civil servants."

The research will add to the growing pressure on the wind farm industry, which was attacked last week by the junior energy minister, John Hayes, for the way in which turbines have been “peppered around the country without due regard for the interests of the local community or their wishes”. Saying “enough is enough”, Mr Hayes appeared to support a moratorium on new developments beyond those already in the pipeline.

He was slapped down by his Lib Dem boss, Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, but is unlikely to have made his remarks without some kind of nod from the top of Government. George Osborne, the Chancellor, is known to be increasingly sceptical about the effectiveness of wind power, which is heavily subsidised but delivers relatively little reduction in carbon dioxide.

Wind farms generate about a quarter of their theoretical capacity because the wind does not always blow at the required speeds. Earlier this year, more than 100 Tory MPs urged David Cameron to block the further expansion of wind power.

Whatever the Government decides, however, may not matter.

The Telegraph has learnt that the EU will shortly begin work on a new directive which may impose a binding target for further renewable energy, mostly wind, on the UK. There is already a target, which is also Government policy, that 20 per cent of energy should come from renewables by 2020.

But Brussels is considering imposing an even higher mandatory target to be met over the following decade, according to Gunther Oettinger, the EU energy commissioner. “I want an interesting discussion on binding targets for renewables by 2030," he said earlier this year.

Two weeks ago, a senior member of his staff, Jasmin Battista, said that Mr Oettinger was “open to” forced targets, though no decision had been made.

The European Parliament has voted for mandatory increases in renewables by 2030 and Mr Davey has also said he favours them. The issue will be considered at a European Council of Ministers meeting next month.

Wind Turbines - Ice build up on the turbine blade mitigation measures

  From: "Leader@shepway.gov.uk" <Leader@shepway.gov.uk>
To: mavis.turton
Sent: Wednesday, 7 November 2012, 14:19
Subject: RE: Wind turbines

 Dear Ms Turton

I have been in contact with the case officer handling the application and have been informed that the issue of ice build up on the turbine blades has been considered within the accompanying Environmental Statement (see attached link, Chapter 13 paragraph 13.5). Mitigation measures are suggested in the form of vibration sensors fitted to the turbines which would detect any inbalance in the blades and which would result in the turbines being shut down.

 http://www.ukplanning.com/ukp/findCaseFile.do?councilName=Shepway+District+Council&appNumber=Y12/0451/SH&action=Search

 It would appear that a solution to address your concerns has been considered within the application details. The matter you raise regarding the incident in Lammermuir Hills has been passed to the case officer for information.

 Yours sincerely

Cllr Robert Bliss
Leader of the Council
Shepway District Council, Civic Centre

From: Mavis Turton
Sent: 19 October 2012 13:17
To: Bliss, Robert Cllr
Subject: Wind turbines

Dear Mr Bliss, we have friends who live in West Lothian, Scotland.  They tell me that there are wind turbines in East Lothian, in the Lammermuir Hills.  They say that a man was killed when he was hit by ice, which was thrown off the turbine blades during cold weather. Notwithstanding the danger to people, there is a distinct danger of damage to property when the turbines are so near residential buildings.  The proposed turbines in our area seem to be sited at an unacceptable distance from peoples homes, and considering their position on the edge of the Romney Marsh, a very damp position, I would think that the turbine blades could become iced up, and would cause problems.  I have tried to contact the East Lothian Courier newspaper, which I believe serves the area, but I am having trouble doing this.  Perhaps you would be more successful.  It is quite important I would think, to find out exactly what happened in the Lammermuir Hills. Kind regards, Mavis Turton

Wind Farms given £34m to switch off in bad weather. Households stung by secretive payments

Click on the link below (which will open in a new tab) to read the Daily Mail article entitled:

'Wind Farms given £34m to switch off in bad weather. Households stung by secretive payments'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210986/Wind-farms-given-34m-switch-bad-weather-Households-stung-secretive-payments.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

George Osborne's CO2 tax will double UK electricity bills

Click on the link below (which will open in a new tab) to read the Daily Mail article published at the end of September 2012 entitled: 'George Osborne's CO2 tax will double UK electricity bills'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9575598/George-Osbornes-CO2-tax-will-double-UK-electricity-bills.html

or if you prefer read the article below. To enlarge the print, click on the image below. 

Once finished, click on the back-arrow at the top left of the screen to return to the website and then navigate your way around as usual. Use the 'Home' page link in Section 1 to return to the start if you prefer. 

Why the £250bn wind power industry could be the greatest scam of all time!

Click on the link below (which will open in a new tab) to read the Daily Mail article entitled:

'Why the £250bn wind power industry could be the greatest scam of our age - and here are the three "lies" that prove it'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361316/250bn-wind-power-industry-greatest-scam-age.html

Villagers spell out turbine opposition - 4th October

The article below was published on 4th October in the Kentish Express. To read the article (enlarge the print) click on the image below. 

Once finished, click on the back-arrow at the top left of the screen to return to the website and then navigate your way around as usual. Use the 'Home' page link in Section 1 to return to the start if you prefer. 

Mininster Signals End Of The Wind Farm

Click on the link below (which will open in a new tab) to read the Daily Mail article published on 31st October 2012 entitled: 'Minister Signals End of The Wind Farm'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225531/Minister-signals-end-wind-farm-We-pepper-turbines-country--declares-energy-minister.html

Once finished, return to the original tab.

Sellindge wind farm protesters create 'human turbine'

Click on the link below (which will open in a new tab) to read the BBC Kent News article with the heading:

Sellindge wind farm protesters create 'human turbine'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19777142

Village Meeting Thursday 1st September 7.30pm, Sellindge School

Please find below details of  the Village Meeting being held in the Sellindge School Hall on Thursday 1^st September at 7.30 pm. We have invited various people from Shepway DC, KCC and other local organisations to speak (briefly) to us about the various issues that are causing so much anxiety at present with the Press in attendance. The agenda is as follows:

1)      The Lorry Park including ideas of Paul Carter

2)    The crucial Shepway plans for the development of this village – plans that may radically change our environment and not necessarily for the better 

3)      The arrival of proposals for a substantial number of wind turbines

4)    The current situation regarding Otterpool Quarry and the role to be played by the Environment Agency in ensuring Countrystyle keep to existing laws in both building the plant and then if they achieve that in obtaining an operation permit.   

This village has earned the respect of many authorities. This is due to the remarkable extent of village support for demonstrations, meetings, surveys of opinion, voicing questions and concerns to KCC etc. and your general willingness to participate.

If we are to continue to influence local authorities and organisations, it is vital that we all maintain this consistent determination. Therefore please come to the Village Meeting, hear the latest re the above issues and have your say and/or vote for what you want. It is not an exaggeration to state that you really can influence what will happen here over the next twenty five years.

Kindest Regards

Ronald Lello

Chairman 

Air Photos of the Wind Turbine Demonstration

See the photos below taken (mostly) from the plane of the Wind Turbine demonstration, illustrating the actual size of a 125m wind turbine, by people forming the shape on the Sellindge Playing Fields. 

Click on the link height comparisons to show a diagram illustrating the height comparison of one of these 6 wind turbines compared to day to day buildings such as a house, a church, a pylon and the London Eye (this will open in a new tab).   

To make any photo larger (i.e. easier to see), click once on the photos below. 

Once finished, click on the back-arrow at the top left of the screen to return to here.