Online voters back opera's turbine plan (From The Argus)

Online voters back opera's turbine plan

9:40am Thursday 15th February 2007 in News By Lynn Eccles

Readers of The Argus online back plans to build a 70m wind turbine in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Sixty-nine per cent of voters in our poll at www.theargus.co.uk said they thought Glyndebourne Opera House, near Ringmer, should get permission to build the turbine because the benefits of renewable energy outweighed concerns about the structure's appearance.

The opera house has submitted plans to Lewes District Council to build the 850kw turbine, which has a 44m tower and 26m blades.

Glyndebourne says all the estate's buildings could be powered by the energy it would generate.

But many villagers believe the turbine would be a blot on the landscape.

On Friday Ringmer Town Council voted by five votes to two against supporting the plans.

The committee's concerns included the negative impact on the landscape and the potentially negative impact on those pursuing leisure activities in the surrounding countryside.

There were concerns for users of footpaths in the area and fears it did not comply with national planning policies or those in the Lewes District Council local plan.

A straw poll at the meeting found 126 of the 142 people there were against the plans.

But fewer than a third of voters in The Argus poll said they felt the development would spoil the natural beauty of the South Downs near Glyndebourne.

Jacquetta Fewster, director of the South Downs Society, which opposes the plans, said: "The South Downs Society is in favour of the protection of our beautiful countryside and the sensitive development of renewable energy.

"This is a rare case when we can all have our cake and eat it because not just one but hundreds of turbines could be built out at sea and we can harness wave and tidal power there as well.

"This would generate much, much more power than the Glyndebourne turbine and at the same time protect our stunning South Downs for everyone to enjoy."

A spokeswoman for Glyndebourne said: "Glyndebourne has no further comment to make about the planning application for a wind turbine at this time.

"We will issue a statement when there is further news."

The application is being considered by planners at Lewes District Council.

The proposal is expected to go before its planning committee in March or April.

A public consultation is under way and will close on February 27.

• Do you support the turbine? Cast your vote at www.theargus.co.uk