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Who are The Preservation of Weardale
The Preservation of Weardale are a group born out of the need to protect our local
landscape, in Weardale it is wild and rugged country the hills are sparse of trees and are
grazed by sheep.
The area was previously industrialised by lead mining which finally stopped about 30yrs
ago, there is still quarrying e.g. Blue Circle cement today but with all of the big
pollution (nearly) gone the environment is finally recovering.
In 1988 the North Pennines (Weardale is the largest part) was given Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty (AONB) status, this gave the area a certain amount of security from
re-industrialisation.
PoW do not object to wind power or wind farms either onshore or offshore, nor are we NIMBY
(not in my back yard) folk. We see every National Park and AONB as everyone's back yard.
These classified landscapes are protected for the population of the United Kingdom to use
and enjoy for recreation etc.
PoW do object to the idea to fill the Wear Valley with nearly 300, 300ft wind turbines. It
will if they go a head with these developments become more than a blot on the landscape
but a big smudge of magnificent proportions; and as a result destroy Weardale as we know
it.
The developer's claim that it will create jobs (PoW have no doubt in this) but they have
yet to identify what those jobs will be and where they are to be based. A visitors centre
has been mentioned many times to the local population of Rookhope (where one of the
largest of the wind power stations [a government classification because of it's size] has
been earmarked for development) but the size of this centre is enormous compared to any
structure in the Rookhope; many people when asked found this centre objectionable.
Then there are the community funds (moneys from the developers to compensate the local
population) for the intrusion of the development on there lives. This is after they have
told us we won't notice the development because it will after time be not new and
therefore unnoticeable. Who will look after the funds and what will be bought, what
strings are attached to these funds?
All of these developments are dependent on subsidies based on NFFO licence, these are
funded by you the tax payer in 2 ways. 1 Income tax etc. 2 The Non Fossil Fuel levy you
pay this in your electricity bill but you'll not see it mentioned. If these wind power
stations are so good why do they need subsidising especially when you take into account
that the National Grid has to buy this 'Green Energy' at twice the price of either gas,
coal,and nuclear produced electricity.
In the USA, it has been reported that, some of the wind power companies including the
largest have gone into liquidation because the subsidies were removed. The Americans also
have a large amount data on the destructive elements of wind farms to the environment and
to animal and bird populations.
News just in the turbines earmarked for Tow Law have faced opposition from local
residents but have now been errected and are sited next to the Foot and Mouth waste dump.
Just some food for thought.
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