Cancer victim's fury at wind farm tower
BRAVE cancer-battler Lynne Springford has taken on another fight, despite currently undergoing chemotherapy.
Furious Lynne is helping lead Docking's objections to a 260-foot wind-testing tower which could lead to the establishment of a wind farm of up to seven turbines within two years.
And she is incensed at the thought that the village will have the tower imposed upon it in the same way that, without consideration of local views, mobile phone masts have been added to Docking water tower.
Mum-of two Lynne (44), of 2 The Mount, Docking, said she and two other residents of the five homes where she lives have had cancer. And a fourth resident living near the water tower with its many masts and dishes has also had cancer.
She said: "I know you can't say the mobile phone masts have caused our cancers, but there have been suspicions about these types of masts and it leaves you with doubts.
"I've got enough on my plate without the added worry of this wind mast, which will be just a few hundred yards from my home."
She said she only found out about plans to plant the giant wind-testing tower on the day of the deadline for comment.
Now she's angry that she missed her chance to officially object, and is even angrier that her parish council, which she claims knew about the plan ten days before her, had not informed residents.
"They should have called a public meeting," she fumed. "I didn't find out about this until 9pm on the day by which comments had to be in. We emailed a response, but the parish council could have told us about this ten days earlier. It has failed to inform nearby residents."
She is also worried that the value of the home she has lived in for the past 21 years will be devalued with just four years left to pay on her mortgage. Mrs Springford's home is on a rise, the second highest in Norfolk, and she will look down into a valley where the tower will be sited.
She said Britain's Got Talent judge, actress Amanda Holden, who has a holiday home in the area, may also be affected by the "blot on the landscape"."I know we have to have these things, and I'd sooner we had these than nuclear, but they should put them in the sea.
"They already have lots offshore and it has been proved to work," said Mrs Springford.
Fellow protester Bill Robinson, of Shingledene, Well Street, Docking, who is studying for an MSc in renewable energy development, slammed the proposal for its impact on the 1,300 resident of Docking.
He said "low frequency beating" could pose a noise problem and, with the prevailing wind blowing from the south west, and the site being less than a mile south west of Docking, it would impact on all in the village.
He claimed it would provide a "cash crop" for the farmer whose land it would be on and benefit the developers but only to the complete detriment of Docking.
He predicted a 15 to 20 per cent fall in property values as a result of the potential of a wind farm development, which would equate with a total 5 million to 10 million decrease in village property values.
He also said the mast would be higher than the floor for low-flying jets from nearby RAF Marham.
Chris Thomas, project manager for Fring Wind Energy, part of West Coast Energy, of Mold in North Wales, said if wind tests prove positive and everything goes in the company's favour a wind farm of four to seven 410-foot (125 metres) turbines could be built on the site within two years. He said they would generate two to three megawatts each and would comply with Government guidance on noise pollution.
As for the aestethics he said: "It's personal – some like them, some don't."
North West Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham is one of dozens of people who have written to West Norfolk Council objecting to the plan for farmland off Docking Road.
The council has received official objections from Fring, Docking and Bircham Parish Councils together with 100 letters of objection. There were two letters in support.
There are fears the potential wind farm would harm wildlife, including geese, raptors and bats, destroy views and impact on tourism, as well as the test mast itself being an eyesore in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Docking Parish Council also complained the plans had not been properly advertised.
Planning officers have recommended the application for the amometer mast for approval, backing Government policy to support renewable energy exploitation.
Officers recommend a condition that bird deflectors should be fitted to the mast's guy wires. The application is to be considered by councillors on Monday.
Click on www.west-norfolk.co.uk to view the application in full.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
