Last updated at 11:50, Monday, 11 August 2008

I have read the letter by Viv Dodd (News & Star, August 2) a number of times. Is this a wind up?

Real political leadership and courage from Jamie Reed and Tony Cunningham indeed? It is the minister, John Hutton, who makes the decision not backbenchers.

What I find outrageous about the letter is reference to “minor irritants” such as noise and visual impact.

I would suggest that he reads the article, ‘Windfarms could cut house prices by 50 per cent (The Cumberland News, August 2) and then he will understand that there is nothing minor at all regarding the problems of windfarms.

He clearly supports the planning application for Cumwhinton where the value of the property and the amenity is likely to be severely blighted.

Who would take a risk buying property where there is the possibility of a windfarm?

If so many people love wind turbines, why do house prices depreciate, rather than appreciate, where there is an application for windfarm?

The problem of noise is not a minor irritation either, as the case of Jane Davis in Lincolnshire exemplifies.

The situation for the Davises is that they now have a property which they can’t live in because of the torment of noise and a property which they can’t put on the market.

The Davis home is approximately 1,000 yards from turbines, roughly twice the distance of those proposed for Newlands-Cumwhinton village.

The Davis case, which was reported in the national press has very important significance.

A tribunal found in their favour and their house has been rebanded for council tax purposes.

I suspect that in the coming months those minor irritations referred to in the letter will become a major headache for councils.

GEOFFREY GRAHAM
Greystoke

First published at 11:45, Monday, 11 August 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk