__________________...................save our unspoilt landscape

SAVE OUR UNSPOILT LANDSCAPE !

 Barmoor Anti Wind Farm Group

Website hosting                          

Blimp supplier                                  

We are often asked for help and advice on how to run an anti-wind farm campaign. Unfortunately, because of the enormous amount of time which has to be devoted to run it properly, it is difficult to give individual help and advice, but can we suggest you use the wealth of information from the links above and from the pages on this site which chronicle our development, from initial public meeting to the present situation.
The R.E.F. is an extremely useful source of information, as is the book by Anthony Jay, "Not in Our Back Yard, How to run a Protest Campaign".
Make sure you have a group of extremely committed (but not frothing) individuals on your committee, preferably with a variety of different skills and expertise.
Above all, stay professional, avoiding any personal attacks on landowners.

Who are we?

For anybody wondering what individual members of SOUL are doing towards the energy crisis,
The farmers among us (eg Ian Jackson, Andrew Joicey) are constantly dealing with the massive changes that are happening in agriculture,
looking at development of new crop opportunities and systems,
watching the market for energy crops,
 having to be more efficient with fuel, fertiliser and energy,
and being accountable (to DEFRA and the community) for delivering an improving environment and rural landscape. All farming businesses in the area are under the same pressure. The energy saving implication is potentially colossal

John's company, Frontier Agriculture Ltd:  is enormously active in all of those fields.
Much research and investment into the bio-energy situation, nationwide and locally; big employer; huge player in the rural economy.

Tim's business, Bedmax:  Research into the use of fuels, co-firing, energy values etc: Acheived huge reduction in energy cost; big local employer; eco friendly:; sustainable, etc
 
Ann's business: very significant in the holiday industry. Energy efficient means of living. Opportunities for roof top solar panels, small wind turbines, waste recycling, power from waste etc. And a great way to demonstrate it all to the visitors from the towns.

***************************************


IDEAS ON HOW TO FIGHT A WIND FARM :

This is what we did -

  • Attend any meetings the developers offer and object to their proposals in writing if given an opportunity - they will use the figures.
  • Ask to be sent copies of the environmental impact statement
  • Get a group together of committed (but not frothing)  individuals
  • Hold a Public meeting           
 

The Flyer sent out for the public meeting :

WHAT’S YOUR VIEW ON

WIND FARMS?

This could be your view.

Turbine scaled to size of anemometer at Barmoor

The 10 wind turbines proposed to be built at Barmoor South Moor will be
360 feet high,


44 ft.higher than Big Ben

175 ft. higher than Nelson's Column;

210 ft. higher than BerwickTown Hall;

5 and a half times as high as the Angel of the North.


The visual impact of these turbines would be devastating to the completely unspoilt landscape of this special part of north Northumberland.
  •   A wind "farm" is an industrial site of  vast proportions with substations and many pylons

  • The larger the turbine, the greater the air mass moving the blades and the higher the noise level. The noise is a penetrating, low-frequency 'thump' each time a blade passes the turbine tower;
  •  75,000 tourists are attracted to Berwick Borough per day peak season.* As a vital part of the local economy, jobs would be lost and local businesses would suffer if tourism suffers a substantial decline.
  • Property prices in areas blighted by wind “farms”  decrease substantially

It would be foolish and a criminal neglect of our duty to future generations to industrialise our last wild places, temporarily to reduce global CO2 emissions to 99.95% of their current levels when there are more effective strategies*
Refs. 1  Berwick Community Plan 2 Country Guardian

. This is YOUR heritage,

YOUR county

We desperately need to protect it

NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND:

HILLS, COAST, CASTLES &

360 FT.TURBINES!



THE PUBLIC  MEETING

LOCALS VOICE OPINION ON TURBINE PLAN AT PUBLIC MEETING

Large turn-out shows the strength of local opposition to proposed turbines in the Barmoor area.

 

LOWICK, NORTHUMBERLAND, 26/11/05 —

Members of SOUL (Save Our Unspoilt Landscape) led a very well attended public meeting this Saturday morning at the Lowick Village Hall. The meeting was organized to gauge public opinion on the proposed Barmoor turbine development, which would see 10 wind turbines built in an area renowned for its natural beauty.


The meeting was attended by over 180 local residents, as well as Councillor David Lockie, who attended in advisory capacity as member of the Berwick Borough Council planning committee.



Councillor  David Lockie addressing the meeting, with John Daniels who chaired the meeting; Ian Jackson, farmer from Bowsden who spoke about visual impact; John Barber who spoke in support of the scheme (proposal includes turbines on his land); Ann Lamb, who spoke about the threat to tourism and Peter Worlock, who dealt with the scientific aspect of wind power.


What Councillor Lockie said was that objectors needed to consider:

  • The Planning law
  • National planning guidance
  • Regional guidance
  • The Local plan      

The planning committee considers all the submissions made, both for and against the proposal.

Points that are not relevant :

  •   Biomass and other alternative renewable energies;
  •   The people involved;
  •   The money involved;
  •    Any subsidies the developers would receive;
  •   The  efficiency of wind power;
  •   Any personal issues

Points which are  relevant :

  •    Environmental issues, ie.the 5 specific areas of
    • visual impact on the landscape;
    • archaeology;
    • hydrology;
    • soil composition;
    • ecology -(Not opinions, but facts + informed opinion : (e.g.. British Trust for Ornithology rather than anecdotal evidence))
  •  Detrimental effect on listed buildings;
  •  Economic issues – tourism, farming;
  •  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • Density of Population , building – area of  least constraint  – likely to be some constraint

  •  The planning committee

    wouldn’t ignore strong public opinion (but petitions can be misleading)
  • The national  benefits must be weighed against the disadvantages.

If planning permission refused applicant can appeal, so the the case would go to a public enquiry.

Next,  Ian Jackson talked about the visual impact on the landscape at the public meeting.
   Ian, farmer from Bowsden, said "I feel all the previous generations of country dwellers have left us all a very valuable legacy and it is our duty  to protect, improve and hand it on to future generations to enjoy."

© 2005 Don Brownlow

For those of you who are Newcastle United supporters, imagine this.  If you were to take one of the turbines and lay it flat, it would not fit into  St James’s Park


"My family has lived and farmed in this area for nearly 50 years. We, and indeed most farmers, accept a responsibility for looking after the countryside. We are, in fact, being paid in many cases, by the taxpayer to conserve and enhance the landscape. We are the custodians of the land.
For probably more than 500 years now, our countryside has been the workplace of many different country people. Farmers have enclosed fields by building walls, planting hedges and shelter belts in order to raise livestock. Much of our area has been drained in order to cultivate crops.
Some areas however, remain unimproved such as moorland and peat bogs. We also have a huge variety of different woodland which traditionally would have been planted to provide fuel and building materials. During the 19th century coal mining and limestone quarrying would have been commonplace around the Barmoor area. Architecture too provides interest and diversity to our countryside. Hamlets and villages have sprung up all over  the area and contain many different types of building."


These turbines photographed at Crystal Rigg are over a mile away.
"I would like to sum up by asking anyone who is concerned about this development to please go to Crystal Rig  or at least drive along to Barmoor South Moor and imagine the impact these turbines will have, remembering of course that they are not static and not silent.
I am not against development or change in the countryside, nor am I against renewable energy,  I am not even against wind power. I understand why the landowners have agreed to the developers proposals. However I am strongly against this proposal in this area. The cost to us all is just too high a price to pay.  Have a look at the various views around the parish that would be changed for the rest of our lives perhaps :"

The meeting continued with questions from the floor.

 


SOUL received strong support from the community with the overwhelming majority of attendees indicating that they were opposed to the wind turbine project at Barmoor.
 Having received a strong mandate to continue, the  steering committee of the group was elected, with an option to co-opt further members onto the committee as appropriate.
People who attended the meeting were encouraged to complete a survey form which allowed them to indicate the level of involvement they wished to have in the future, and we thank those who completed the forms. If you have not yet filled one in and would like to click here

  • Make a website. This one is hosted by  1&1 internet which has a website builder

  • Buy a to show the actual height of the turbines - for Blimp supplier see contacts above;

  • Encourage as many people as possible to write individual letters of objection. Petitions do not carry so much weight. We have had 3 editions of "SOUL NEWS" distributed throughout the local area, one of which contained a pre-paid postcard addressed to the planning office. This further boosted our record (for Berwick)  number of objection letters. See below :


A TOTAL OF OVER ONE THOUSAND LETTERS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN OBJECTION TO THE THE WIND FARM SCHEMES AT BARMOOR, MOORSYDE & TOFT HILL;
and AT LEAST 1048 PEOPLE OPPOSE THE BARMOOR APPLICATION ALONE. This was the most objections Berwick has ever received for a planning application, even before counting the postcards that were sent in !

This was on the how to object page of the website:

WHAT TO DO if fighting a wind farm in your area..

- Step 1

You should object in writing to  the Planning Office or send an email.

You should be sure to quote the Reference number of the planning application

It does not need to be at all complicated,
- just 1 or 2 points is absolutely fine - things that matter to YOU.
Or you can make an outline objection and give more details later.

  • Landscape The main point of objection, and that which is open to opinion and therefore can be soundly argued by the lay person is Landscape.

Landscape character means the distinct and recognisable pattern of elements that occurs consistently in a particular type of landscape, and how these are perceived by people. It reflects particular combinations of geology, landform, soils, vegetation, land use and human settlement. It creates the particular sense of place of different areas of the landscape.

Landscape capacity refers to the degree to which a particular landscape character type or area is able to accommodate change without significant effects on its character, or overall change of landscape character type.Capacity is likely to vary according to the type and nature of change being proposed”.

Both the area around the wind farm proposed at Barmoor ( where Force 9's environmental statement admits there would be "major landscape and visual effects" ) and the wider areas from which the turbines will be visible, notably the National Park, the Cheviots and Heritage Coastline Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Special Protection Area at Holy Island, Cuthbert's way and many vantage points for miles around will be affected.
The turbines would have " a detrimental impact on long range views important to the character and quality of the landscape" contrary to Policy F4 of the Joint Structure Plan
See also Visual Impact page

  •   Amenity

Visual impact and the exclusion of the public from the areas covered by the wind-farms will harm the amenity of walkers, riders, cyclists, nature-lovers, ornithologists and all others who value North Northumberland's uniquely tranquil landscape.

  •   Damage to the Local Economy

The Local Plan overarching Policy F1 says " priority importance will be given to sustaining and enhancing the Borough's environmental wealth, including its landscape and coast, its native biodiversity and its human heritage"
Wind turbine power stations take only 12 months to build, so any construction jobs will be short lived. Materials will not, in the main, be manufactured or supplied locally. Any minimal economic contribution is likely to be vastly outweighed by the damage to the far more important tourism economy of the Region. Independent evidence supports this concern.
See Tourism page for more information

  •  Impact on Nature Conservation

e.g. The Joint Structure Plan Nature Conservation Policy N1 states, with regard to International Sites and Species : "Development which may adversely affect a..site which is not connected with, or necessary to the management of the site, will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest for the development and there is no alternative solution.."
The international SSSI and SAC of Ford Moss  is just 250m from the nearest turbine..

  •   Archaeological and Built heritage
The area is very rich in archaeological and built heritage. There are 68 scheduled ancient monuments within 10 km of the site, the nearest being Ford Colliery, only 500 metres from the nearest turbine, there are neolithic cup and ring marks and rock carvings at Roughtin Linn. Goats Crag, close by and probably mesolithic, has deer carvings. Other monuments include the Duddo Stone circle, Parson's tower at Ford Castle, Etal Castle and many more. The turbines would fragment the landscape and impinge upon views to and from these historic sites as well as effect the tranquility due to the noise. 136 listed buildings or monuments lie within 2km of the site.
It is likely that evidence of settlements is still to be found in the area. e.g. A Bronze Age axe and a prehistoric flint have been found at the site of the development which suggests a danger of potential damage to archaeological remains.
  •  Living conditions nearby, including Noise and other pollution;
Construction work would produce pollution from Noise, Dust, Exhaust and other emissions for a minimum 9 months. During construction, traffic on, for example, the B6343 between the A1 and the A697 would increase to as much as 138 vehicle movements a day in month 3, 91 being HGVs, passing through the centre of villages of Ford, Crookham and Lowick, close to houses and schools, causing disruption, pollution, and increased danger to the inhabitants and potential for accidents. The A1, A697, A698 will also be adversely affected.
Following construction of the turbines, the noise generated would be considerable for at least 2km around the site - and this in an area which is known to suffer from virtually no noise pollution (which is why it is used to record bird song).
This is a very special area renowned for its peace and tranquility.

  •   The Cumulative impact with other similar developments
Moorsyde and Middlemoor would be visible as well as Barmoor from numerous locations. Northumberland has many more applications for wind farms in the pipeline. The effect on our landscape would be extremely detrimental.

****
(Alternatively there are examples of letters below section 4)

- Step 2

  • You should also copy your letter or e-mail to your borough councillor.
Below is a list of  councillors on the planning committee :


Chair is Cllr. Brian Douglas,  18 Church Road,  Tweedmouth , Berwick TD15 2AJ

 Independent,  Edward ward, email: bd@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk


Cllr. David Wilson,  Meadow House,  Bowsden,  TD12 2TN,  Lib Dem,  represents Lowick

 ward and is  deputy leader of the council, email dwi@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk


Cllr. Jennifer Allen Branxton House, Cornhill on Tweed Northumberland TD12 4SW,

Lib Dem,  Flodden email jal@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. David  Donaldson The Strand, St. Aiden's , Seahouses , Northumberland NE68 7SS

Conservative, North email dd@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. William Forbes Grant 28b Crumstone,  Seahouses,   NE68 7RJ,
L
Lib Dem  North email wg@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. Peter Herdman 13 Bankhill , Berwick upon Tweed , Northumberland TD15 1BE

Independent Elizabeth  email phe@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. James G Hutchinson Fenwick Steads Belford Northumberland NE70 7PL

Conservative Islandshire  email jgh@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. Richard James Patterson The Smithy Swinhoe, Chathill, NE67 5AB
Conservative Beadnell email rjp@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. Richard Thomas Pearson Adderstone Mains, Belford ,NE70 7HS


Conservative, Cheviot email rp@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Cllr. David Scott Stewart 26 Ord Drive Tweedmouth Berwick upon Tweed  TD15 2HR
Independent ,Spittal,  email ds@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk


Cllr. Jennifer Waterhouse 137 Eastcliffe, Spittal, Berwick upon Tweed  TD15 2JU
Lib Dem Spittal    email  jenw@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk


Clr. R J Dougie Watkin East Newburn, Norham, TD15 2LW

Lib Dem Norhamshire   email    dw@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

or see Berwick Borough Councillors

  • Write to your County Councillor:
Mrs D M Beith                   clare.mills@ncl.ac.uk                              Berwick North
Mrs E Hunter                      eih@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk         Berwick west/Ord
Mr J Smith                     js@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk            Berwick East
Mr C Hallam-Baker        chb@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk           Wooler
Mr D Watkin                       dw@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk          Norham & Islandshire
  • Please also send a copy of your letter to (the County Councillor for Norham and Islandshires):

Councillor Mr Dougie Watkin
4 Newburn Holdings
Norham
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 2LW
dw@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

  • If you live in Alnwick District you could also send a copy of your letter to:

Councillor John Taylor, Leader
Alnwick District Council
Allerburn House
Denwick Lane
Alnwick
NE66 1YY

  • or for Berwick :

Councillor Elizabeth Hunter, Leader
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Council Offices
Wallace Green
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 1ED
eih@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

- Step 3

Form a mailing list  so you can keep supporters informed of developments.



We have prepared a number of examples of letters of objection
If you wanted you could copy, cut and paste from the various points made :
 (right click mouse, drag to highlight text, left click, choose copy, paste into your document)



Letter 1: (Main point is Visual Amenity)

Development Services Manager
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Council Offices
Wallace Green
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 1ED

Your Address

Date

Dear Sir/Madam,
Barmoor Wind Farm Development Proposal

Application No 06B0148


I have studied with interest the plans for the proposed wind turbines on the high ridge of land between Brackenside and Barmoor South Moor.

I have an interest in this area because I am a nearby resident, and I follow closely any proposed developments in the rural countryside. I am also considering my own small bed and breakfast business and possible extension to my house.

Almost all the developments in the area that I have been aware of have had to address some form of “visual amenity” issue and these are usually well considered by developers and planners alike. The planning department in Berwick-upon-Tweed is well known for applying meticulous detail to issues of visual amenity, and it is my belief that in this part of the countryside the results speak for themselves. We enjoy a particularly pleasing rural environment and the Lowick, Bowsden and Ford area is an excellent example. Screening of some developments with tree planting is often a requirement, and in most cases is a simple and successful technique.

However, when it comes to considering visual amenity in the case of the nine 360 ft wind turbines near Barmoor, no amount of tree planting or landscaping could possibly mitigate the massive visual effect that these structures will have in the local landscape. Likewise the planners will not be able to set any conditions on the development that will reduce the visual impact.

This is of course due to the sheer size of the turbines, which are totally out of proportion to any existing natural feature or development in the area. They would remain prominently visible for many miles in all directions.

For this reason alone the turbines should be rejected.

Given that there are also no environmental benefits from these turbines, either locally or nationally, there is no justification for approving this planning application.

Yours faithfully,

(Signed)
********************************************************************************

Letter 2 (Landscape, economy, visual impact)

The Planning Officer
Berwick Borough Council
Berwick on Tweed
TD151ED

(Date)

Dear Sir/Madam,

REF: O6B0148 Planning Application by Force 9 for Barmoor Wind Farm

I write to object to the above planning application and my reasons are as follows:.

  1. Damage to Landscape Character.
The rural charm of the North Northumberland landscape is the natural asset which attracts thousands of visitors to our area and therefore must be protected. Indeed the development would compromise the landscape character of the adjacent AONB and National Park.

2.Economic Damage .
Employment opportunities in this area are mainly in the Tourism Industry.
I and many of my young friends work in this industry and are concerned
that such developments will deter visitors from coming to this area. A drop
of visitor numbers would be a real threat to local employment and future
investment.

3 .Visual Impact
The proposed turbines would be visible for miles around and especially
from such historic places such as Bamburgh, Flodden, Halidon Hill,
Norham, and the special Protection Area of Holy Island one of the most
visited places in the county.

I urge the Council to protect this precious local rural landscape and reject this application especially when this area could use such renewable resources such as biomass, wave & tidal power, which would not compromise the landscape character. Yours faithfully,


(Your Signature)


Letter 3: (Main point is Noise)

Development Services Manager
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Council Offices
Wallace Green
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 1ED

Monday 23rd July 2007

Dear Sir,

Proposed Wind Farm at Barmoor       Application Reference No 06/ B0148

As a resident living close by the proposed development I wish to make an objection on the grounds of noise.

1. Noise

A recent report (14th March 2006) from the prestigious French Académie Nationale De Médecine, Paris recommended that any construction of wind turbines of over 2.5MW capacity within 1.5km of homes should be suspended immediately pending further research into the ill-effects of noise on human health.

 From Section 3 Health complaints reported by certain people living near wind turbines :

The noise is the most frequent complaint. It is described as throbbing, alarming, and perpetually surprising because it is irregular in intensity, but also comprises incongruous grating sounds, which attract attention or disturb rest. Occurring unexpectedly during the night, these noises disturb sleep, waking up the subject abruptly as soon as the wind rises”
The report deplores the lack of studies on sound near turbines and calls for a minimum acoustic safety distance to be defined.
There have been several other reports also outlining the health complaints linked to the stress the noise induces (depression, anxiety, headaches).
Surely it would be ill advised to allow a development which research shows may be a health hazard, At the very least it should be suspended pending further research.
At present this area has very little background noise and is extremely tranquil and peaceful.
Yours  faithfully



**************************

Letter 4

(Landscape Character and Amenity)

The Planning Officer
Berwick Borough Council
Wallace Green
Berwick on Tweed
TD15 1ED

08/03/2006

REF: O6B0148 Planning Application by Force 9 for Barmoor Wind Farm

Dear Sir,

I wish to make an initial objection to the above planning application on the following grounds:

Landscape Character and Capacity
The landscape here is very special, Northumberland being known (as used in the tourist brochures as well as Trevelyan’s original work), as the “Land Of Far Horizons”. The character of the landscape is one of open vistas stretching for miles. The turbines at Soutra, apart from being half the size, don’t affect the landscape nearly so much because the horizons are short. These turbines are so huge, they will fragment the landscape, and cause a substantial change in character.

Amenity
We have enjoyed living here for many years, appreciating the real beauty of the area by walking in the countryside around Barmoor, cycling with the grandchildren to Routin Lynn for a picnic, taking the dog for a walk from Ford Moss across to Goats Crag and truly feeling absolute joy for the luck of living in this amazing place. Till now, that is..
The visual impact of this development will seriously affect our enjoyment of the area.

Having looked forward for years to having more time to spend doing those things we love, now that we are approaching retirement age we feel we are in danger of being cheated of our last few years of pleasure in the countryside.
Only be up for 25 years? Probably be dead by then.

Yours faithfully,



July 10th 07
Just a note to thank you all for the support shown by all your emails and letters to the planning department. The response has been absolutely amazing, with 91% of letters against the proposal, ie  almost 1000.

 We are very grateful for any note, card, or letter sent in objection to the development as every single email or post card counts towards the number of people and the amount of feeling shown to be against the development.




Amanda Worlock looking at the pile of letters of protest at the planning office


  • Send out newsletters
  • Do some fund raising