Save North Devon was established to give the people of Devon access to independent information and research regarding wind turbines so that they can make an informed choice when it comes to land based wind power as a renewable source
of energy for the UK.

The government set a target to generate 20% of the UK’s energy use from renewable energy by 2020. They have incentivised developers with an impressive reward scheme funded mainly by us, the consumer, in order to achieve this target. For every 1000 units of electricity they generate the turbine company will auction off what is known as Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC). The big companies especially the power generating companies have committed to reducing their carbon emissions and they are doing this simply by buying these certificates and therefore offsetting, not reducing their emissions.

Power companies can get their best return for the cheapest outlay by investing in wind turbines. The ROC system of subsidies is diverting funds away from researching more suitable forms of renewable power generation towards onshore wind. Wind power developers like to have us believe that they are working to save the environment, and play the 'green card' at every opportunity. Investment in suitably sited offshore, wave and tidal are much more costly but can result in a less destructive and a more predictable source of renewable energy. Even so they still have an impact on the environment, offshore wind farms have the potential to be damaging to the environment because of noise and  electromagnetic fields interfering with sensitive marine life in the in shore environment. .

The real motive behind wind power developers is financial gain, and they will push for wind turbine developments at the expense of the countryside, wildlife and rural communities, and ultimately, at the expense of the environment. Wind Power developers do not set out to destroy the countryside, they are simply motivated by financial gain, when the government changes direction and starts incentivising developers to build offshore windfarms, or to back nuclear power, that is exactly what they will do.

Reducing our energy consumption, and seeking more reliable greener methods of energy generation, are the only way we will reduce carbon emissions and address climate change. Rather than do this however, the government seeks what it perceives to be the 'quick fix' option, and promotes 'land based wind energy' as the way forward. Land based wind energy production is the least effective and most expensive source of renewable energy.

Serious doubts have also been raised over the effectiveness of onshore turbines as a means of achieving CO2 reductions. The Department of Trade and Industry estimates that by 2010, The very large number of wind turbines installed will acheive total CO2 savings of just under 2% of the UKs emissions. This very modest saving would cost the UK consumer nearly £1 billion per year via the Renewables Obligation and would see our countryside littered with these ineffective monstrosities.

This website serves as a central resource for the latest information regarding wind turbine developments in North Devon.
it links existing Devon based objection groups and aims to serve the public by providing the full story, not just the information that the wind farm developers want to promote. savenorthdevon.com gives access to independent research and opinion from credible sources, and provides information on how to set up and manage an opposition group, alongside a webpage creation service.

Contact us:

You can contact the site editor for more information.

Are you setting up a local wind turbine opposition group
and need some help getting on the web?

If you are a new North Devon opposition group starting out and you need a webpage up and running quickly - we can do that for you free of charge. All you need to do is supply the relevant information and will set you up with your own web page via Save North Devon. See www.savenorthdevon.com/galsworthy.

Simply drop us a line and we will be in touch.

Together, we can make a difference.

 

How to fight a windfarm proposal

Its a daunting task, but its one that has already been undertaken by action groups all over the country. Below is a 12 step guide to help fledgling opposition groups get started:

1. Research.  If you are determined to fight a wind turbine proposal, the first thing to do is find out as much as possible about wind energy generation.  The more you read, the more you are likely to conclude that it is economic nonsense and the environmental costs hugely outweigh the benefits.  See www.countryguardian.net  
   
   
2. Contact other opposition groups.  You do not have to re-invent the wheel. Many other groups have been through the fight already and can supply you with valuable advice and information.  Sites such as www.savenorthdevon.com have great deal of generic information and research documentation supporting the opposition of wind turbines.
   
   
3. Contact the local planning officer.  The local planning officer is likely to have had discussions with the developer before the application is submitted.  Gain the maximum information about the nature of the proposed development.  At the same time find out about the site itself, whether it has any designation (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Park, Heritage Coast, Ares of Great Landscape Value etc) any special features of its ecology and so on.  Ask the planning officer to explain the local plan, County Structure Plan etc so that you can see if and where the proposed development contravenes the sections on landscape protection.  Ask the planning officer whether they think the plan contravenes PPG22 and if so, why.  Also, establish whether any part of the land is Common Land.
   
   
4. Contact Societies and Trusts.  Contact the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the local wildlife trust to find out if there are rare or protected species of flora or fauna on or near the site.  Find out from local history and archaeological societies whether the site is of historical or archeological interest.
   
   
5. Form your action group. Usually an individual or a small group forms the core of the opponents, and while they get a lot of moral support locally, active help is more difficult to come by.  Try to form a committee, meet as often as necessary and allocate tasks.  The group can be as formal or informal as you choose.  Some have formal memberships, bank accounts and elections; others are loose-knit and informal.
   
   
6. Organise the opposition. The first objective of your action group will be to organize the opposition. It is extraordinary how few people know the negative side of wind turbines. It is this lack of information that developers exploit, pretending to be saving the planet when in truth, they are in it for the money. You will have to educate people and show them that wind power is not the benign technology that they might have thought, and in particular, that wind turbines will not reduce the cost of electricity, reduce carbon emissions, or reduce our reliance on fossil fuel or nuclear energy production. It is vital that you collate as much relevant information as possible, and that your information is accurate so that you cannot justly be accused of exaggeration and misinformation.  Remember, the truth is quite damaging enough.
   
   
7. Prepare publicity material.  If possible, create a website as a central source of information.  www.savenorthdevon.com will create, host and maintain a webpage for free for Devon based opposition groups. Quote your website on all publicity material including press. Produce a leaflet pinpointing the site and outlining briefly the case against wind energy generally and in this site in particular. Quote as many credible sources as possible, include a call to action –include a standard opposition letter for recipients to sign and send.  See www.savenorthdevon.com for a sample leaflet and opposition letter templates. Allocate distribution area(s) to each member of the action group – house to house and businesses such as shops, hotels, bars etc.  Note that leaflets come under the jurisdiction of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) so they must be factually correct.
   
   
8. Write letters to the local press and alert the news desk of the local paper / radio / TV to the story.  Wind power developments tend to be slowly unfolding sagas – keep the media up to date with the story and any twists or new developments.  Journalists are looking for stories, so if you have one, let them know – the formation of an opposition group, a discrepancy in the planning application, lack of consultation process etc, deadline for submitting opposition letters are all newsworthy items.
   
   
9. Organise a public meeting.  Get an experienced chairperson who can control a large and passionate crowd, and deal with any disruptive elements.  Invite the local press and radio, the planning officer, and all members of the planning committee.  Invite speakers who you can trust, particularly those who live near a wind farm and whose lives and properties have been blighted.  Invite the developer to speak. Borrow tapes and videos of existing wind farms and interviews with people living under them (www.countryguardian.net) play these at the meeting.  Take a vote at the end of the meeting on whether the wind farm is wanted.
   
   
10. Write to your M.P. and local councillors. Invite them to your public meeting and send them a copy of your leaflet. Invite them to support you.  Remember their position depends on you and other electors. Contact local parish councils and ask to speak at their next meeting.  Raise awareness of the wind turbine development and make them aware that their parish opposes the proposal.  Invite their support.
    
    
11. Oppose the planning application.  Your standard letter of objection that you distribute with your leaflets or via your website will be just that, a standard letter that will cover the key objections.   Once you have access to the Environmental Statement, you will need to go through it carefully.  Allocate sections to action group members.  These statements are often sloppily prepared, inaccurate and positively misleading.  Highlight every error, inconsistency and misleading item for your opposition.
    
    
12. Attend the planning committee with any many opponents as you can muster.  If possible attend a planning committee meeting before the one at which the wind turbine proposal is to be decided in order to see how they work.  Be prepared for a deferral, in which case you will have to find the strength to fight on.  Even if the proposal is rejected, the developers may appeal.  If a developer’s application to build a wind farm is turned down, he may within six months make an appeal to the Secretary of State who then decides whether it should be dealt with in writing or by public enquiry.