ALL WIND AND PISS!

 In order to rush through plans for The Oasis Academy on the former Brook Mill site, off Hollins Road, plans for the two wind turbines on the site have been removed in the face of probable objections from local residents.  But they could be put forward as a separate planning application in the future. Do you wanna bet on it?
Several letters of objection raised concerns over parking, congestion on Hollins Road, highway safety after a number of car accidents involving children, anti-social behaviour and a loss of green land.
Objector Ian Catherall said no thought had been given to residents and there could be 750 vehicles at peak times dropping children off, nowhere for parents to park and no benefits for local youths who will be left on street corners.
He added: “It’s a complete loss of our village green.”

Rob Hopkins, (Who he?)  for the applicant, said he was confident it would cope with traffic volume. He said it would create world-class sports facilities and would have an excellent energy rating. That doesn't answer the fucking question on how it would cope with traffic volume. How does he know it will cope? What is he basing his waffle on? What research has he done on the impact of up to 750 vehicles all descending on Hollins Road at the same time? This is more typical planning guff. Distract everyone with 'good news' and talk down the negative impact on a locality in the hope the grateful locals will miss the devil in the detail. All the 150 proposed parking spaces will be taken by teaching and administrative staff and will probably prove inadequate.
The whole academy fiasco is nothing more than ego massaging for certain councillors in this town, too thick to see the pitfalls of their overweening self importance. To quote one:  Councillor Gushforth said: “Everything about the building is fabulous.”  Well it may be, apart from one small matter. It's in the wrong fucking place!!!
When the question of wind turbines is slid back before the planning committee and everyone has been lulled into a state of complacency,  here are a couple of cautionary tales to ponder.

A homeowner has been ordered to switch off his £20,000 wind turbine following complaints from neighbours that it is too loud.
 
Father-of-three Stephen Munday, 55, erected the 40ft device with planning permission in a paddock behind his home two years ago.
It generates five kilowatts of electricity a day - the equivalent of boiling 300 kettles - and provides two thirds of his energy needs. It is situated 300ft from the nearest house.
But when neighbours complained of a high-pitched hum coming from the turbine Stephen was issued with a Noise Abatement Order by his local council and told to switch it off or risk a £5,000 fine and Anti-Social Behaviour Order.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the electrician appealed the decision but magistrates upheld the ruling and ordered him to pay £5,392 court costs.  read more...

  A primary school has been forced to switch off a £20,000 wind turbine because it keeps killing passing seabirds.

The rotary blades on the 30ft (9m) structure have struck at least 14 birds in the past six months.
The turbine, at Southwell Community Primary School, Portland, was installed 18 months ago thanks to a grant from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
It provided six kilowatts of power an hour, but its performance was overshadowed by the number of birds killed - far higher than the one fatality per year predicted by the manufacturer.  read more...

 Further reading on this subject at  G.O.T.