Wind campaigners hit back at Deputy PM John Prescott

Oct 21 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

Mr Joicey added: “They criticise Nimbys. If someone has a valid objection under the planning system, they have the right to air it and to make an objection. They should not be criticised for doing that.

“It is not just ‘chocolate box’ views that are brought up against wind farms in the inquiries. There are some genuine planning reasons why these wind farms are opposed – planning guidelines both local and national.”

Mr Joicey said it would be sensible for councils to identify wind farm sites, as long as they do not do so on the advice of developers.

The MP’s comments have also angered Bill Cotton, who fears the prospect of four wind farms being built close to his bed and breakfast business at Wingates, Northumberland, could see it close.

Mr Cotton, a 68-year-old retired lawyer, said: “I bet he (Mr Prescott) does not have a single turbine within the vicinity of his home.”

Speaking at the annual conference of the British Wind Energy Association, the trade body for the wind and marine renewable energy industry, Mr Prescott said: “Basically people who have moved out into the countryside and built nice houses, good luck to them, but they are the ones who don’t want any change.

“People who have moved out of our towns and have a nice chocolate box view, they have bought that and I understand it, but at the end of the day you have got to strike a balance of what is in the national interest and, frankly, they are the ones who will suffer first because these are also areas in danger of massive floods caused by climate chance.

“I want to see kids outside planning inquiries not with ‘save our view, we don’t want this’, placards but with placards saying ’what about our kids and our kids’ kids’.”