Transcript from thursdays interview with Mark Murphy following the announcement of new rules where new planning rules which will give communities the power to block wind farms. Residents will have to be consulted over new wind farms with applications barred if there is significant opposition. Under the plans, energy companies will be able to offer incentives - such as discounts on bills - to persuade communities to agree to new wind farms. Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, commented: "We want to give local communities a greater say on planning, to give greater weight to the protection of landscape, heritage and local amenity."
I then tweeted Mark who immediately asked me to speak on his morning show:
Nadia Cenci (NC)- It has got a little bit quiet as far as I am concerned, because obviously now we’re waiting for the planning application to go in to Babergh.
And I can’t really do a lot about that. I am campaigning on behalf of Ipswich residents along with Stop Ipswich Turbines. As you know I did a survey and when it came back I had quite a high response and 80% of the local residents were against.
Mark Murphy (MM) – Yet despite that we’ve had Renewables UK today saying there is overwhelming support for these things everywhere.
NC – There might be everywhere on a general (basis), they’re being very generic, but they’ve had it loud and clear from me, Stop Ipswich Turbines, the residents at public meetings - we do not want this on our doorsteps.
MM – Why?
NC – Not because we’re against wind turbines, we’re not. But this is 130 metres (high) and the closest house will be 400mtrs.
Can you imagine having that towering over your house? Can you imagine?
So we’re banding together, this is not what we want. They look beautiful in the sea, and they look beautiful far away from someone's home, but you cannot have these things towering over your house - and that’s the objection, not, you know, in principle.
MM – So what do you make of these proposals coming from the coalition today? Councils will be told to put local concerns first. So you hope that, in this case Babergh who will be looking at this one, it’s a border case as you say, you hope that they will be taking that local feeling into case here?
NC – They HAVE to take that local feeling into account, I mean I can't deal with Babergh residents (out of my jurisdiction) but from Stop Ipswich Turbines (survey) they are just as against it so they’ve got to take local feeling into account. And I am really really keen to see how this pans out. If that’s what we’re being told, then the proof will be in the pudding, Mark, because you can’t get more resounding than 80%.
MM – What about some money from the developers. They’ll also have to pay some more to residents who allow turbines in their area, so if there was more of a financial incentive for those people perhaps they’d be more keen?
NC – Actually I just caught the tail end of your last speaker, and I don’t agree (that it will cause conflict where some residents would agree to take the incentive) . I really think you could offer a lot of money to some of those residents in Belstead village and they would not be interested. But of course you’re going to get the occasional person (who will), and perhaps, you know, there will be a little bit of conflict, but overall most of them will say No – if you go to Kessingland and listen to their misery story, there is no price on that, (to compensate).
Now let's see the new legislation working for the residents in Babergh and Ipswich when it comes to the planning application because the way i read it - they have to refuse it.........
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