Advice to Peter Cameron
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- From
- Peter Cameron
- Date advice given
- 19 March 2013
- Enquiry type
Sir,
As it is now accepted that the Earth has cooled over the last 15 to 20 years, why is there still an obsession with encircling our shores with huge turbines.
This mis-guided policy is doubling the cost of our energy as we still require fixed generation capacity for when the wind doesn?t blow. Denmark, for example with the highest density of wind farms in Europe, have not reduced their fixed capacity by a single megawatt.
The damage that these high energy costs are doing to our manufacturing competitiveness, and our ability to attract inward investment, are incalculable.
These costs need to be reversed, not added to, by schemes that rely on taxpayers subsidies to make them viable.
The poor old taxpayers ends up paying twice in both high energy costs and subsidies.
In the case of the population along this part of the South Coast, where tourism is at the heart of the local economy, they will end up paying three times over.
The Navitus Bay wind farm would be far larger than anything that has been placed so close to a major tourist area before.
The visual effect of what is being planned off the Isle of Wight, is disastrous and, without a true analysis of the financial consequences, both locally and nationally, there is a substantial risk to the local economy and its income.
When will our representatives in Westminster do something about this madness and spend our money on proper infrastructure schemes that have some economic literacy.
Advice given
Thank you for your email received on 14th March 2013 which sets out your concerns regarding the Navitus Bay Offshore Wind Farm Proposals.
As you may be aware this proposal is identified under the project name of 'Navitus Bay Wind Park formerly Isle of Wight' on the National Infrastructure pages of the Planning Portal website: http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/projects/south-east/navitus-bay-wind-park-formerly-isle-of-wight/. At this link you will find contact details given to us by the promoter Navitus Bay Development Limited as well as other relevant correspondence.
This project is currently in the pre-application stage and therefore has not been formally made to the Planning Inspectorate. Until an application is formally made to us, the project promoter is your first point of contact for any comments you have on the proposal. Responding to the developer?s pre-application consultation is the best time to influence a project, whether you agree with it, disagree with it or believe it could be improved. Should an application then be made to the Planning Inspectorate, the promoter will be required to explain how it has taken account of comments received during their consultation. I would therefore strongly encourage you to ensure that Navitus Bay Development Limited are aware of your concerns below.
Should the application be formally submitted and the Planning Inspectorate accept the application to proceed to an examination, there is an opportunity for people to register with the Planning Inspectorate to have their say. By registering at the appropriate time you will be asked to outline your concerns or objections to the Examining Authority.
For more advice on the process and how you can get involved please visit the Planning Portal website where numerous advice notes are available: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/ . In this instance I recommend the 'advice note eight series: How to get involved in the planning process'.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions on the information above or the process by which the Navitus Bay Offshore Wind Park, if formally submitted, will be determined.