South Downs Environmental Protection Consortium
26 February 2008
The Ramblers’ Association is a leading member of the South
Downs Environmental Protection Consortium which has challenged
plans for a giant wind turbine on the South Downs near
Glyndebourne when a Planning Inquiry opens in Lewes today (26th
Feb).
The South Downs Environmental Protection Consortium is supported
by the South Downs Society, the Campaign to Protect Rural
England (CPRE), the Ramblers’ Association, the Council for
National Parks and the Open Spaces Society. They have all spoken
out against the turbine proposal. They will line up at the
inquiry alongside Natural England, the government’s advisory
body on the countryside, the South Downs Joint Committee, and
many local residents.
The environmental battle will begin in Lewes, with green
arguments being raised by the consortium at a public inquiry set
to run for two weeks.
Glyndebourne Opera House is promoting its plan to build a giant
wind turbine on a hillside in the South Downs above the village
of Ringmer near Lewes. The Opera House claims the 230 foot
turbine will help it reduce its production of greenhouse gases
and global warming. But local and national conservation groups
are joining forces with local residents to oppose the scheme
which they say will cause disproportionate environmental damage.
Lewes District Councillors tried to approve the scheme last
summer despite advice from their own officers they should not do
so. The government was so concerned that they blocked the
turbine by “calling in” the decision to a Public Inquiry.
Jacquetta Fewster, Director of the South Downs Society, said,
“The Environmental Protection Consortium is in favour of
renewable energy. However, this particular turbine would have a
seriously damaging visual impact on the Downs. This is too
precious a landscape to allow it to be despoiled. The turbine is
clearly the wrong scheme in the wrong place”.
Stuart Meier, Director of CPRE Sussex, believes that the
Government is right to be concerned, “Make no mistake, this is
one of the biggest threats to the Sussex countryside in recent
years. It’s ironic that just weeks after 150 local and national
organisations declare their support for protecting the South
Downs as a National Park, this damaging turbine proposal comes
to an Inquiry. While it’s good to hear that Glyndebourne want to
reduce their carbon footprint, this is simply the wrong way to
set about it”.
Malcolm McDonnell of the Sussex Branch of the Ramblers’
Association added, “Wind power has an important role to play in
providing clean, renewable energy. We believe it is possible to
meet energy needs and reduce greenhouse gases without damaging
our most valuable landscapes. We’re firmly opposing this huge
turbine because it will be an eyesore for visitors to this part
of the Downs and will be highly visible from long stretches of
the South Downs Way. This is an important part of a National
Trail and it’s absolutely essential that these key routes are
protected from this sort of industrial paraphernalia.”
And Ruth Chambers, Deputy Chief Executive of the Council for
National Parks, pointed out, “Local people are rightly very
concerned about the prospect of this enormous construction in a
highly sensitive Downland landscape, but it also raises
important national issues as it would be the largest turbine in
any National Park in England once the Park comes into being. We
are fully behind the local groups in opposing this threat to a
precious landscape.”
The Inquiry Inspector will report his findings to the government
minister for decision later in the year.