Wind farm causing concern

VILLAGERS have reacted with horror to the possibility of a new wind farm being built near their homes.

Mid Suffolk District Council has received an approach from Hertfordshire-based firm Tradelink Solutions, which is interested in putting turbines at Mendlesham airfield, near Stowmarket.

The company believes the area is a good site for a small wind farm which could have eight 80 metre high turbines.

Now Ann Arnold, chairwoman of Wetheringsett-cum-Brockford Parish Council, is contacting every villager to find out their views through a questionnaire sent out to all 250 homes this week.

She is angry that the parish had not to date been consulted about the wind farm plan by the district council and has been contacted by concerned villagers who live near the site.

She said: "People are concerned about the noise, they see their homes devalued, so many people feel they are a noise nuisance. This has come as a shock to the village.''

As well as concerns of devalued homes it is feared the turbines may cause a distraction to drivers on the A140.

The move has been welcomed by the Green district councillor at neighbouring Mendlesham where many people are in favour, believing the site area already scarred by the giant Mendlesham mast is a good place for renewable energy.

The proposal is due to go out to consultation to parish and district councils by the end of September.

Mid Suffolk will take public workshops out to the communities in October and will be contacting parish councils.

Tradelink Solutions have argued that the wind farm plan is at a very early stage, and details of what might happen are still fluid. No applications have been submitted at this stage and the farm plan may never come to fruition as they are currently testing to see if there is even enough wind to make it viable.