IW young in plea to allow turbines

By Martin Neville

Saturday, August 25, 2012

 

IW young in plea to allow turbines

The poster.

A GROUP of young Islanders are championing wind turbines in the West Wight.
Posters aimed squarely at ThWART (The Wight Against Rural Turbines) were pinned to noticeboards in Wellow and Thorley, the area where developers have sought to site wind turbines, by members of the new group, who are all aged between 15 and 26.
It has been formed by six young people in Yarmouth and Freshwater, including Millie Crane, 20, who said they all shared a mutual concern for the future of the Island and the planet.
Millie, who is doing a biology degree, said: “We believe wind turbines should be built in the countryside around Thorley and Wellow.
“We stuck up our posters in response to ThWART to encourage them to listen to young people and think of the wider picture.
“If drastic action is not taken in the near future to combat climate change, it is our generation who will have to deal with its catastrophic effects.”
She added: “We don’t have any links with Vestas or the wind turbine developers.
“We are in the early stages of the group and do not currently have a name or other action planned.”
ThWART chairman Malcolm Peplow said its 3,000 supporters included many young people, including two who spoke at the planning committee, which rejected the latest Wellow proposal for wind turbines last month.
He stressed ThWART was in favour of renewable energy but in forms appropriate for the IW.
He said: “For example, solar technology, which is rapidly becoming an established and acceptable alternative to industrial-scale wind turbines. Tidal and biomass solutions are set to follow.”
Offering to meet those behind what he described as “anonymous posters”, he said: “As we have said many times, ThWART is against the inappropriate siting of giant turbines in rural locations on the Island, where they will blight the landscape and put tourism at risk.”

Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk

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