The wind farm will have two sources of income. One is income from the sale of the electricity to wholesalers who then sell it on to consumers. The other is from the sale of Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC). The ROC is designed by the Government as an incentive intended to increase the amount of clean energy purchased by the wholesalers and therby encouraging the rate of development in renewable energy sources including wind farms. It is important to remember that the wind farm only gets an income from either of these sources if electricity is generated. There is no subsidy for simply building a wind farm.

Wind farms are remarkably quiet; you can stand directly under an operating wind turbine and hold a perfectly
normal conversation. The noise at nearby dwellings is controlled by strict guidelines to ensure that residents are not disturbed. The noise of a modern wind farm at 350 metres is about the same as in a quiet bedroom. Not many people have stood under a wind turbine; even fewer live anywhere near one. It’s not surprising that some people are uncertain about what it’s like to have a wind farm close to their village.

Birdlife and appropriately located wind farms happily co-exist. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds regard the danger to habitat posed by global warming as the greatest threat to birdlife and they support the principle of wind farms and renewable energy.Nuon has identified Airfield Farm as an appropriate wind farm location. Any potential effect on birds and other wildlife has been fully examined in the Environmental Impact Assessment that accompanies the planning application.

Wind power produces clean, renewable energy, consistent with international and national obligations to reduce the amount of pollution entering our atmosphere. At a time when fossil fuels are becoming scarce, and increasingly costly, wind power promotes self-sufficiency in terms of energy production. Renewable energy also
contributes to combating climate change, the most pressing environmental concern of this century.

Wind turbines have an excellent safety record. There are over 2000 wind turbines in the UK and not one member of the public has suffered an injury from them.

Shadow flicker is well understood and care has been taken in the design of the proposal to make sure that it will not occur.