Let's all back the windfarm (Letter)

Correspondent • Published 18 Nov 2010 09:30 14 Comments

Jump to first paragraph.

See also:

An open letter to Wokingham Borough Council:

Please accept this letter as registration of my support for the Rushy Mead Wind Farm

This letter appeared in Reading Chronicle 18 Nov 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Accidental Omission
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 12:44
Report comment

Thanks for the lovely open letter Patrick. One thing though, you seemed to forget to mention that you have worked as PR Officer for wind energy developer Npower Renewables from 2003 to 2006, and therefore have had (and maybe still have?) a financial interest in the development of wind turbines. I am sure that hasn't in any way influenced the tone of your letter, especially as you are also a resident of Caversham, well away from the proposed development!

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0
Renewable Subsidies
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 12:55
Report comment

17% Efficiency means all this renewable energy stuff is about renewable subsidy!

Get real Patrick its a scam.

I hope the turbines do not happen, but if they sneak in, I REALLY hope the subsidies are cut due to government cut backs....

LOL

Cant wait to see PFR flicker then!

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0
******
Nov 18, 12:56
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
fconnolly
2 posts
Nov 18, 13:00
Report comment

Is this the same Patrick Spink who for several years worked as the Public Relations Manager for Npower Renewables !! Me thinks a vested interest here !!

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0
Big Concern
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 13:05
Report comment

Patrick seems to think that you can only object about flooding, noise and health risks if you live in a National Park or Pristine Wilderness. Now I live in Wokingham ( yes not Reading like you do Patrick) and value the open spaces that are few and far between in our area.

Flooding is a concern as these Turbines are to be built in a flood plain, and likely to cause more flooding to houses in the area. Noise and health issues are still a concern for me and my family. I am surprised, Patrick that you can be so smug about these issues, as you live several miles away and you won't be bothered by the noise, or any health issues.

Those of us who live within 2kms of the Wind Turbines should be concerned about noise and health. And if you live less than 1km also be very concerned about shadow flicker.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Eyesore
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 13:11
Report comment

I suggest the readers take a look at the picture which accompanies Mr Spink's letter.

How would you like to live in those cottages directly behind the turbine ?

It is very easy to show support for PfR when you do not live anywhere near Rushy Mead.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
******
Nov 18, 13:29
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
grandad
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 13:30
Report comment

I would have thought that someone who had worked in the Industry would have a better understanding of the issues involved. Even our previous Prime Minister realised that building Wind Turbines too close to people's houses was inappropriate. That is why he objected to them being built in his constituency because 200 houses were within 2km of the turbines. Contrast this with the proposed Rushy Mead site where 7000 houses are within 1.5km. How do I know because this is the number of people who WBC have written to in connection with this planning application.

Its easy to make comment when it does not affect you!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Clear conscience
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 13:45
Report comment

It's also interesting to see that Patrick currently works for British Airways as "Corporate Responsibility Coordinator"...I suppose driving past Rushy Mead on his way to Heathrow would give him a nice warm feeling inside that something good was happening to offset all the pollution being caused by commerical airliners? It's a shame that if built, it would be majority funded by subsidy, with electricity generation being a minor side-show due to the low wind location!

Can Patrick please also write another open letter next week telling everyone where to get some of what he smokes? Comments like: Once built these structures sit benignly in the landscape, attracting nothing more than fleeting compliments, and causing no harm to man or beast.

suggest that he is somewhat detached from reality!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
bobf
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 14:09
Report comment

I think windfarms actually look quite majestic and would be happy to live near one. But I understand other people disagree, which is a shame.

We need as much renewable energy as possible in this country.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Grandad
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 15:48
Report comment

I agree we need renewable energy but we are an island with limited resources and we need to make best use of them. The wind blows hardest in the North and West. There are many other forms of renewable energy far better suited to this area.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Elfie
Unregistered User
Nov 18, 19:15
Report comment

Is the Green Park turbine in Reading then? Because I understood that its within Wokingham Borough, and that when the Green Park turbine was first mooted, there were two proposed, one in Reading and one in Wokingham Borough. But Reading did not want a turbine, so the infamously inefficient advertising post that is the Green Park turbine was what was left, and its in Wokingham, we've done our bit for wind energy. So Patrick, not a symbol for Reading at all and not 'forward thinking' either, certainly not when the subsidies run out, but don't let me stop you suggesting Caversham for a location......

Perhaps when the renewables industry seek help from high-profile friends they should brief them more meticulously.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Tom_Ainsworth
Unregistered User
Nov 19, 15:13
Report comment

When most people drive past the wind turbine at Green Park, they don't think about local authority boundaries - they think 'Reading'.

So I think Patrick's basic point stands.

I don't know anything about Reading 'not wanting a turbine', I'd be curious to see the evidence for that.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 1
Elfie
Unregistered User
Nov 20, 09:59
Report comment

Speaking like a PR man Tom! Take a lovely warm image of 'home' and associate it with a product, even better call it 'green', though its not. (I notice you don't take issue with the Green Park turbine being called an advertising post, or inefficient!)

'Most people' driving past 'the turbine at Green Park' (or Rushy Mead if it goes ahead) do not live right beside it, or stand to have their health/amenity drastically affected by it. Sounds like you need to research the facts yourself, rather than paying attention to shoddy self-interested spin from the industry, and its friend.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Tom_Ainsworth
Unregistered User
Nov 20, 15:28
Report comment

I have researched the facts, and come to my own conclusions - there's no need to be rude. The studies I've seen simply don't support these arguments about supposed health effects. They don't completely rule it out, either, but the point is the research hasn't been methodical enough to make such sweeping statements either way, I'd suggest. Whereas the science on climate change, if we keep getting so much of our energy from burning fossil fuels, is much more settled - and scary.

I'm not a PR man, I'm a member of the public. I too like the other commenter above actually quite like how windfarms look and have lived not far from one in the past in Derbyshire.

But because I'm not instinctively anti-wind power, the relative inefficiency for the Green Park turbine doesn't bother me, I'm afraid. Every little helps, as the supermarket says.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Morning Tom
Unregistered User
Nov 22, 08:31
Report comment

Morning Tom. Thanks for admitting that ill health effects haven't been ruled out yet - the wind industry would like to think that such talk is nimby mumbo-jumbo getting in the way of their green revolution. Whilst it's true that extensive studies have yet to be completed in this area, what is pretty certain is that there is ever increasing evidence that putting enormous wind turbines too close to where people live can have advserse side effects. Many of the people now campaigning to raise the awareness of these issues started out welcoming turbines to their areas, thinking that there were no possible side effects.

I hear your "every little helps" analogy, but would also simlply ask you this: If the side effects of putting wind turbines too close to people aren't fully understood yet, is is fair that the thousands of people who live near the proposed Rushy Mead development "take one for the team" and become human guinea pigs?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Opinion archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle