Anti-turbines campaign's fund nets £80,000

A fighting fund has been set up to help defeat a wind turbine "threat" in a village near Whitchurch. More than £80,000 has been pledged to the campaign.

It is run by action group Stop Bickerton Wind Turbines (SBWT).

But chairman Mike Voisey said a further £50,000 would have to be found to ensure that the fight was successful.

He said the money was essential to cover the fees of a team of lawyers and professional advisors already signed up by SBWT and to pay campaign expenses.

Mr Voisey said tension had been mounting in the area since a 60-metre tall wind monitoring mast was put up off Long Lane, Bickerton, in February.

He said although no planning application for turbines had yet been made, developers Banks Developments had said it would apply to build a cluster of industrial-sized turbines on the site, which is less than one mile from the village school, if conditions proved favourable.

Members of SBWT say fears over potential noise from the turbines, which could be as tall as 125 metres, were expressed at a meeting this month attended by hundreds of people.

Other concerns include a possible a drop in house prices and fears about flicker, which creates a strobe-like effect when sunlight reflects off the blades onto buildings.

Mr Voisey said: "The team is committed to fighting this at local planning level, at appeal level before the planning inspectorate and to judicial review if necessary.

"We cannot let the natural heritage of the area be destroyed in this way.

"Feelings are running very high."

Banks Developments was unavailable for comment today.