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.
