Immediate release: Monday 4 June 2007[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007][Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]

Press Release

Friends of the Earth Slams South Cambridgeshire Council Rejects Wind Farm

The decision by Conservative dominated South Cambridgeshire Council [Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]to reject plans for a wind farm in south Cambridgeshire was slammed by Friends of the Earth today (6 June). The environmental organisation said the decision showed the grass roots of Conservative Party has so far failed to grasp David Cameron's new green agenda.

Renewable Energy Systems is proposing to install 13 turbines on Wadlow Farm [Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]near the villages of Balsham and West Wratting[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]. If built the wind farm would provide enough clean renewable electricity for one third of homes in South Cambridgeshire. [Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]

The application for the wind farm was rejected on visual grounds by 10 of the 12 councillors on the planning committee. The committee claimed that the proposed site was a high quality landscape, despite the fact it is situated next to the busy A11 road[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007] and crossed by electricity pylons. [Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007] Councillors stated that wind farms could be built `elsewhere in the UK.' An application for a wind farm at Boxworth was rejected on similar grounds last year.[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]

The committee dismissed developer's data which showed the location to be one of the best in the area for wind farms - away from human settlement and with excellent wind speeds. They ignored new national planning guidance prioritising climate change; strong backing for the project from the East of England Development Agency; and the East of England's 2010 target for generating 14 percent of its electricity from renewables, including a large proportion from onshore wind.

Despite being signatories to the Nottingham declaration on climate change it was left to Liberal Democrat councillors to remind the committee of the responsibility for every community to take action to meet the challenge.

Cambridgeshire resident and Director of Friends of the Earth, Tony Juniper said:[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]

“If the Conservative party wants to prove it has changed we need more than green words from David Cameron - we need to see Conservative Councils prioritising action on climate change at the local level.”

[Author ID0: at ]

NOTES[Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID0: at ]

For more information and to arrange interviews contact: [Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID0: at ]

Nick Rau, Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, 07950 981 493[Author ID0: at ]

Press Office: 020 7566 1649[Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID0: at ]

Pictures of the site in its current state and photo montages of the wind farm are available.[Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]

[Author ID1: at Wed Jun 6 13:52:00 2007]