WIND FARM GREENS SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT ON ROMNEY MARSH

East Kent Green Party has sent in its submission for the Public Inquiry into the proposed Wind Farm on Romney Marsh. Steve Dawe comments:

"Kent County Council and Shepway District Council both opposed the Wind Farm against the advice of their own council officers. With constraints upon local government spending, this was hardly the time to indulge in spending on an avoidable public inquiry. The Green Party notes that the British Wind Energy Association has found that the average level of opposition to wind farms discovered in surveys is only 9%(1). Consequently, opposition to the Romney Marsh Wind Farm cannot be seen as representative of the whole community. We considered potential effects upon birdlife and other species and possible noise effects of the Wind Farm. We found that minor modifications to the project have addressed our concerns.

"We are also optimistic about the Wind Farm as a tourist attraction. As the only onshore wind farm in the South East region, the Wind Farm will attract some additional tourists and school groups to view it from locations such as Camber. Further progress by local councils in enhancing walking and cycling routes throughout the Romney Marsh area could also enhance the level of visitors. The Green Party notes that Spokes, the East Kent Cycling Campaign, has established that cycling tourists spend several times more in each locality they visit than tourists moving by car or coach. Given rising oil prices and increases in air fares, all of us are likely to be spending more of our holidays in the UK (2). This is a win-win situation for the whole Shepway area. Copies of our submission can be found at www.eastkent-greenparty.org.uk under REPORTS, or can be mailed : please ring 01233 645167 for a copy."

FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe on 01233 645167 and 07747 036192. Contact address as above. Steve Dawe teaches Environmental Policy and two other courses for the Open University and has been preparing briefings and submissions on energy policy issues since the 1970s. He is also advised by his wife Dr Hazel Dawe whose doctoral thesis is on European Union energy policy. Notes: 1. Godfrey Boyle ed Renewable Energy (Oxford University Press, 2004), p.276. The British Wind Energy Association looked at 42 Surveys conducted 1990-2002. 2. See our report Better Green Tourism under Reports/Factsheets at www.kentgreenparty.org.uk