Countryfile: Farmer expresses concern for wind farms
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Countryfile presenter Charlotte Smith looked into the impact offshore wind farms have on the UK countryside in the most recent episode of the BBC show. She met with interested parties including a farmer who was concerned about the damage the infrastructure would do to the environment and took the Government to the high court over this issue.
Charlotte began: “Offshore wind farms, for some the future of clean, green energy.
“For others, a blot on the horizon and there’s about to be a lot more of them – 19 places along the coast have been earmarked for the creation of wind farms.
“Now if the Government gives them all the go-ahead, they’ll help to generate enough electricity to power every home in the country by 2030.
“But fresh battle lines are being drawn over their environmental impact not offshore but inland.”
Read more: Adam Henson addresses ‘difficulty’ shown on Jeremy Clarkson’s farm
The presenter travelled to the Norfolk coast which has been designated as the home of the large-scale Vanguard wind farm.
Charlotte explained a Swedish company will run the farm and it will be among the largest in the world.
However, if the plans go ahead as they stand, 105 landing points – cables where the sea meets the land – will need to be built.
Those cables will need to reach 386 substations where electricity loads onto the National Grid.
Charlotte met Ray Pearce who took the Government to the high court to stop the cable corridor and infrastructure from being built and won.
Ray argued: “You will lose agriculture for a significant period of time.
“You will also contribute to climate change by the production of hundreds of kilometres of cables and if we are the precipice then that is the wrong way to go about it.”
“Some will argue you are saying you don’t want this in your backyard,” Charlotte quipped.
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“No it isn’t,” he replied and the presenter hit back: “Well, it is.”
“This is about the Government taking a strategic view of this sustainable energy,” Ray added.
Countryfile viewers took to Twitter to point out the benefits of wind farms against other forms of energy.
One tweeted: “Quel surprise, Nimby hypocrisy of the highest order. #windfarms #countryfile #ClimateCrisis #renewableenergy.”
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“Not convinced about this argument about offshore wind farms based on trenches needed for the cables. Sure, not ideal but far better than using fossil fuels and nuclear? The trenches can be recovered & land returned unlike, say, HS2 or road expansions? #countryfile,” another wrote.
“@countryfile Offshore wind farms. Just not on his doorstep. #Countryfile,” a third added.
However, others agreed with Ray as one angry viewer wrote: “#Countryfile we should have learnt by now that large infrastructure projects aren’t sustainable, and are incredibly damaging for the environment. Let’s put solar panels on every appropriate roof first.”
Another wrote: “Yes – protect nature through smart wind farm and cable planning. A little odd that the agricultural farm preventing a wind project on #CountryFile seemed to lack biodiversity or any re-wilding ambitions.”
Countryfile continues on BBC One on Sunday at 7pm.
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