Proposed Windfarm at Rodbaston College
 (Planning Application: 09/00524/FUL)

Did you know?

That Rodbaston College (now part of South Staffordshire College as it has merged with Cannock, Lichfield and Tamworth Colleges) has applied via Wind Direct Ltd. for planning permission to build 2 Wind Turbines on its land at Rodbaston, near Penkridge, just west of the college buildings, close to the Staffs. & Worcs. Canal and the M6 Motorway.

That the two Turbines are going to be 126 metres high (to tip of blade) and the area the blades will rotate within amounts to 6,644 square metres EACH (roughly equivalent to two football pitches) 

That these two turbines are only 1.5 Km from the housing estate off Wolgarston Way on the southern edge of Penkridge.  

The Applicants state in their application that as regards Landscape and Visual Impact, THEIR conclusion is that within 2 Km of the turbines “it is expected that the development would ACT AS A MAJOR ADDITION TO THE LANDSCAPE AND WOULD BE A DOMINANT VISUAL INFLUENCE.  At such close range the turbines are likely to be seen as a large element of any landscape.” 

That the majority of the built Penkridge Community is within 2 Km of the Turbines.

That the EU guidance is that Windfarms should not be erected within 2 Km of ANY homes.

That, where Wind Turbines are approved and built, property values in the area reduce considerably.

That recent research has shown that human health hazards are being attributed to Windfarms.

That these two structures will be visible for miles around, particularly from the Canal, from the Motorway, from the higher ground of Cannock Chase, including Shoal Hill and from the southern part of Penkridge, including the Wolgarston Way housing estates.  Also from the A5,  A449, and the communities and homes around the Gailey, Rodbaston, Otherton, Bocomoor and Pillaton areas.  

That there is a Public Right of Way close to and BETWEEN the two proposed Turbines from the College buildings to the Canal.

That the proposed windfarm is only 1.2Km from the Microlight Airfield at Pillaton.

            That there are noise issues AND flicker problems associated with all Wind Turbines.

            That South Staffordshire College will get a handsome income directly from this development but that the community of              
            Penkridge will get nothing financially.
                                                                                                                               
            That the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal runs within a few metres of the Turbine site so the turbines will be very   
            close as narrowboat users pass by.   There are also two marinas/wharfs within 1.5 Km of the turbine site where many boats         
            moored and many occupied throughout much of the year.   In addition, many touring narrowboats moor along the banks of the
            canal during the summer months

That a FULL Environmental Impact Assessment has NOT been carried out.

That the two Turbines will be sited just over 1 Km from the ancient Heronry on Gailey Lower Pool which dates back to at least the mid 1750s when the First Lord Hatherton recorded the heronry in Fullmoor Wood, close to its present situation.   It has been annually monitored in the last 40 years by the West Midland Bird Club and local ornithologists.   Local ornithologists report that the Windfarm will pose a high risk to the colony of Herons breeding at Gailey Pool as they will be at risk of collision with the turbines as they go to and fro from their nests to their feeding grounds in the Penk Valley and surrounding streams, ditches, pools, canal, etc. during the season from February to July inclusive.

That recently it has been discovered that Bats are at high risk if they fly close to rotating Wind Turbines.   It would appear that Turbines change the barometric pressure around the turbine towers and bats then suffer from barotrauma which causes their lungs to explode.  All Bat species are protected by UK and European legislation.   At least five (5) species of bat are to be found on the Rodbaston estate and around Gailey.  Local bat workers have found it is a very good area and bat roosting and breeding boxes have been erected and are being occupied.
 
That there is lots of evidence now from around the world that Windfarms are not the answer to our Energy problems.  That they are not economic, their life is only about 25 years, they don't generate much electricity and only when the wind is blowing at the correct speed (which is infrequent).  

That there are already 2,572 wind turbines erected in the UK which are producing a very, very small percentage of the total electricity produced by all means.   At the moment there are a further 3,553 being proposed in the UK.

That the UK Government is aiming for an additional 7,000 wind turbines over the UK.  Some sources say this number needs to be doubled.

That the cumulative effect of an increasing number of turbines could be catastrophic for people, for their health and for wildlife.

That there is an increasing number of scientists, professionals and solid evidence that major Climate Change is not caused as a result of man's activities.

That it is already known that objections have been submitted by the Cannock Chase AONB and the Inland Waterways Association.

That there have been approx. 8 other windfarm proposals in Staffordshire, two of which have been refused, one withdrawn, and the rest not yet approved or applications submitted.

That the two that have been refused was very much because there was local opposition which provided the planners with evidence and argument that showed they would not be beneficial to the community and in fact would cause damage in several ways.

 That the public have until 27 August 2009 to submit comments on the application. This can be done online at S Staffs. District Council's website: http://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=334 or by writing to:  Development Control, South Staffs. Council, Council Offices, Codsall, WV8 1PX, quoting Planning Application No. 09/00524/FUL.