THE failure of the Forest of Dean’s single Green councillor to support the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) motion reveals precisely how much interest there is in taking a sensible approach to managing our landscape and environment.
The message is simple: “We will recklessly progress renewables at any cost.”
It’s a damn good job they aren’t pro-fracking because they seem willing to ignore the perils of having a carefully thought-out approach to balancing energy production with protecting the environment.
While shroud waving about nuclear energy they ignore that it is because of the cost and unreliability of renewables that nuclear, rightly or wrongly, remains so important in maintaining the country’s energy security
I assume that the main reason to vote against the AONB motion was to allow the continued expansion of renewables along the strip of land between the estuary and the statutory Forest.
This area is destined to become saturated in solar farms and wind turbines if the present rate of development continues.
It is an area of outstanding beauty that is under a severe and needless threat.
The recent construction of a wind turbine close to Aylburton is another piece in the wind farm jigsaw being put together down the estuary.
To describe the monster turbine that now has an overbearing presence over people who live there as a ‘community’ turbine is misleading.
The democratic parish and district councils did not want it and it has been undemocratically imposed by a single, ‘remote’ planning inspector.
Few of the investors in this project came from the village – it was largely funded by investors from all over the place.
A few years ago I expressed concern that plans to build a wind farm by stealth along the estuary would be a way of avoiding examining the full environmental implications and ensuring full ‘joined up’ public consultation with the wider community.
I am constantly approached by people who have been shocked and amazed to see the Sharpness and Aylburton windmills soar into the sky without being able to participate in the debate.
The fact that we have reached this situation has demonstrated a pressing and overdue need to have better planning policies and the ultimate protection of AONB status.
The few paltry gifts that these developers scatter around to local schools and groups to buy favour do not mitigate the environmental damage and impact on our local economy, besides the compulsory cost of £150 annually to each and every hard-pressed, domestic energy user.
ln reality these developments will produce only a derisory amount of our energy needs and make no difference, if any difference is required, to climate change.
It is gratifying that, other than two abstentions, other members of the district council felt moved to push for the protection of the Forest and that the nature of green politics have been exposed.
It must be noted that the above was only one of a number of factors as to why I tabled the motion on the Forest being ready and long overdue for the designation of AONB status.
– Cllr Alan Preest (UKIP), Forest of Dean Distric