You will of course be familiar with the arguments. You will be aware
that local opposition to the project is virtually unanimous, with a local action
group, local councils and heritage organisations combining to condemn what
amounts to an act of desecration on a hugely important and valuable historical
site. If ever there were a case for the Secretary of State for Communities and
Local Government to intervene and make a stand, this is surely it.
I am
especially concerned that the proposal runs directly counter to the ideas of
localism which the Conservative Party has done so much to promote. Our localism
policies will be greeted with ironic laughter as long as these men from
Whitehall can overturn the settled will of local people, without debate and
without appeal. Whether or not you accept the pressing need to reduce CO2
emissions (and more and more scientists doubt it); whether or not you think that
wind turbines can contribute to that objective (and the evidence points against
it); surely an historical site of this importance demands special
protection?
Government inspectors are riding roughshod over the objections of
campaign groups across the East Midlands. I should perhaps declare an interest,
because this is precisely what happened at Low Spinney in Leicestershire, and I
now have four vast turbines within a mile of my home. Again and again we ignore
the issues of visual intrusion, environmental damage, noise, reflection and
flicker and the associated health issues, and the housing blight inflicted on
local communities. We ignore the damage to local residents, lives, homes,
families, villages. Are we also to abandon our historical heritage to the
renewable obsession?
I call on you to respect the settled views of
Northamptonshire people, and re-visit this appalling decision before it is too
late.