Stop Kelmarsh Wind Farm

The ‘Met Mast’ is coming…..

Adam — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:37:25 +0000

We have been waiting for this, E-ON have finally submitted a planning request. Thankfully not for the wind farm, but they have asked for permission to erect a 60 metre anemometer, more commonly known as a met mast. E-ON will use this to gather wind speed data over the coming months, the planning request states that the mast will be in place for up to 24 months. The plans show that the mast will be erected between Tally Ho covert and the A14, adjacent to the byway that runs between Haselbech and Clipston.

As we understand it, virtually no similar planning request has ever been refused, so we might as well accept that this mast will go ahead. The local parishes that have contacted us and who have responded to the planning application, have asked the council for assurances that the mast be a sufficient distance from the byway, so as not to cause any potential hazard and health and safety issues if it were to topple over.

This application for a met mast shows that wheels have most certainly been set in motion for the full wind farm application, and we will continue to plan our fight against that.

Vandalism of Battlefield Viewing Platforms

Adam — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:33:36 +0000

Following the abhorrent recent vandalism to the viewing platforms built by the Naseby Battlefield Project, we have issued the following press release -

Press Statement 18 August 2008

Stop Kelmarsh Windfarm Campaign – Vandalism at Naseby Battlefield

Stop Kelmarsh Windfarm Campaign group have been informed that vandalism and graffiti has been found at the Naseby Battlefield Project viewing platforms. Apparently the graffiti purported to support an anti-windfarm position, although it has been removed and no member of the Campaign committee has therefore seen it.

The Campaign committee wishes to make it unequivocally clear that the Campaign is not responsible for, nor aware of, this contemptible activity. The Campaign does not endorse this or any other kind of destructive activity.

Such activities are totally against the principles and purpose of our campaign: the protection of Naseby Battlefield is a fundamental issue in our campaign against the Kelmarsh windfarm. It is the view of the Campaign that the Battlefield will be significantly adversely affected by the proposed development – which position is acknowledged by the Battlefield Preservation Trust and English Heritage – and the Campaign applauds the work of the Naseby Battlefield Project in preserving and publicizing this important site.

This disgraceful act of vandalism, and our condemnation of it, was covered in the Northampton Chronicle & Echo http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Swastika-graffiti-at-Naseby-battlefield.4402888.jp

More Local Press Coverage

Adam — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:18:37 +0000

Not unsurprisingly, there has been a lot of interest in the local press who are keenly following our campaign. The letters page of the Harborough Mail has regularly featured the concerns of residents; click these snippets to read the whole letter —

“Hard-pressed to find a more inappropriate site” – 6^th March 2008

“Just the tip of the windfarm iceberg” – 6^th March 2008

And this is my favourite, which can be found at the bottom of the letters page. It’s short and to the point –
“YET another windless day! Which genius thought of placing a wind farm anywhere near Kelmarsh? Name(s] please!” – 24th April 2008

Wind farm would do harm to Battlefield

Adam — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:16:17 +0000

One of Britain’s top historians has expressed serious concern at plans to build a wind farm next to the Naseby battlefield.

Professor Richard Holmes, who is president of the Battlefields Trust, said he feared the seven, 377ft turbines which power company E.ON wants to build close to the Northamptonshire site could have a real negative impact.

“I think any reasonable person would certainly not be for it.”

This is taken from an article that appeared in the Northampton Chronicle and Echo on 23^rd February 2008,

Click here to read the whole article

Not so much a farm – more a forest

Adam — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:14:47 +0000

The local Harborough Mail has published an article detailing the proliferation of proposed wind farms in the North Northamptonshire and South Leicestershire, which it should be remembered is one of the least windy places in the UK!

In this article Laura Carse, the development manager of Wind Direct, a company who have previously looked at building a wind farm close to Naseby Battlefield site said:

“We originally considered a site close to the Naseby battlefield but decided that the cultural heritage of the site could be compromised. We have to consider a whole range of aspects before one is chosen, such as the environmental impact and the historical culture of sites.”

Click here to read the whole article

Greed not Green

Adam — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:13:28 +0000

As we have stated elsewhere on this site, we believe that this proposal is more about greed than any green issues. If further evidence of this were needed, an article was published recently in the magazine of a local estate agent – Fisher German.

Mark Newton the Head of Fisher German’s wind farm department states –

“There is an immense amount of money to be made” and

“Land owners are in a prime position to make phenomenal profits”

Click here to read the whole article

Just how tall are the turbines?

Adam — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 01:06:29 +0000

The proposed turbines will be 120 metres (400 feet) tall, which is the maximum currently allowed by law. That makes them about the same height as a 30 storey block of flats and the Express Lift tower in Northampton.

The sweep of the enormous 90 metre blades would be big enough to fly a 747 jumbo jet through!

As the A14 passes within metres of the proposed Kelmarsh windfarm site, they will be a highly visible distraction for drivers, creating a potential accident hazard as the sun glints off those massive 90 metre blades.

Be in no doubt, they will be visible for miles around.

Click the link below to see how the turbines compare to some local landmarks

Wind turbine height comparison

Contact us - info@stopkelmarshwindfarm.com

Energy Saving

Adam — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:41:29 +0000

We would like to stress that we are not against renewable energy schemes, it just that we believe these schemes should be in the most efficient locations and work more efficiently. We don’t feel that the Kelmarsh Wind Farm site is an efficient location, and more importantly will have a huge and irreversible negative impact effect on an historical rural environment.

In addition to looking for alternative sources, we should all look to save the energy we currently produce from existing sources. The UK tops the league of European energy wasters.

There are many simple things that we can all do, and we have listed some of them here. Every little thing that we can all do will have a massive cumulative effect.

1. DON’T LEAVE APPLIANCES ON STANDBY

Leaving unnecessary items on standby is estimated to cost each household an average of £37 a year.

2. UNPLUG CHARGERS WHEN NOT IN USE

In the UK alone chargers left plugged in waste over £60m and 250,000 tonnes of CO2.

3. TURN OFF LIGHTS WHEN LEAVING ROOMS AND USE ENERGY EFFICIENT BULBS

If all UK households replaced one light bulb with an energy efficient one, the money saved could pay about 75,000 family’s fuel bills a year and save a million of tons of CO2. If every household in the UK changed just one bulb, it would save the CO2 equivalent of taking ONE MILLION cars off the road.

4. WASH CLOTHES AT LOWER TEMPERATURES AND USE THE TUMBLE DRYER LESS

5. TURN THE THERMOSTAT DOWN

6. STOP USING PLASTIC CARRIER BAGS

7. RECYCLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

Just one recycled aluminium can saves enough energy to run a television set for three hours!

Recycling just one plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a 60W light bulb for six hours!

The energy saving from recycling one glass bottle will power a 100 watt light bulb for almost an hour; or a computer for 20 minutes; or a colour TV for 15 minutes; or a washing machine for 10 minutes!

BY EACH DOING LOTS OF LITTLE THINGS, WE CAN ALL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE

For more information on energy saving and practical tips, visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Bats in Peril

Adam — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:10:23 +0000

The proposed Kelmarsh Wind Farm is planned adjacent to Tally Ho Covert; a beautiful small wood.

This means there will be implications for the local wildlife populations, both from the massive turbines themselves and the large amount of construction work and traffic that will be required to build them.

One of the most sensitive of all creatures is the bat and as such they are protected by law.

“Erecting turbines in the unspoilt countryside of this area seems to be madness and could seriously affect our native bats.” not our words, but those of Phil Richardson from the Northants Bat Group.

In fact the Kelmarsh Estate are so proud of the bats on their land, that they have held annual bat walks for the last five years, yet they seem prepared to put those bats at high risk with this proposal.

Click here to read the full views of The Northants Bat Group

The Kelmarsh Trust – A Touch of Hypocrisy?

Adam — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:50:01 +0000

Colonel Lancaster, who had been the owner of the Kelmarsh Hall Estate since 1924, set about placing the Hall and most of the estate in perpetuity to a trust in the 1970s but he died in 1977 leaving the blueprint for the Trust to his sister. Miss Lancaster pursued her brother’s wish and the Kelmarsh Trust was established in 1982. On her death in 1996 and under her will the whole of the estate passed to the Trust.

One of the stated aims of the trust is - “Conserving all features of the built environment, designed, historic and natural landscape, and all wildlife which are of national, regional or local significance and managing them according to best practice.”

The proposed wind farm would appear to be in direct contradiction of the wishes of the Lancaster family.

The Trust is established as a registered charity, and the charitable aims of the Trust are set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of The Kelmarsh Trust (25th August 1982);

One of those stated aims is - “To maintain the character and scenic beauty of the landscape.”

We fail to see how seven 400 foot turbines, each taller than a 30 storey block of flats, fits in with the wishes of the Lancaster family. It would appear that the current trustees have decided to go against the terms of the trust, established by the last owners of the Kelmarsh estate and pursue a policy of greed over green.

Click here to read more details about the Kelmarsh Trust.