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HEMPNALL PARISH COUNCIL Newsletter – Autumn 2007
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Wind Turbines A number of Hempnall residents have
approached the Parish Council, both informally via individual parish
councillors and formally at the most recent Parish Council meeting, to
express concerns regarding information supplied to them by Enertrag UK Ltd. The Parish Council recognises the
importance of accurate information being made available to all Hempnall
parishioners regarding the highly controversial wind farm development
proposed for the village. This newsletter, which attempts to correct some
misinformation supplied by Enertrag UK Ltd., is therefore being distributed
to every household in the village. SNDC "identified the area around
Hempnall to be suitable for this type of development."
? As part of the consultation process
Enertrag has stated, in letters sent out to many residents, that South
Norfolk District Council has (quote) "identified the area around
Hempnall to be suitable for this type of development." i.e. a wind farm.
The Parish Council has contacted SNDC Planning Department on this point and
has been told by Richard Cooper, the Case Officer overseeing the proposal,
that this is not true and that the suitability, or otherwise, of the proposed
site for wind turbine development would not be decided until plans were
formally submitted to the council. How to take part in the consultation
process Furthermore Enertrag claimed on a
printed notice displayed at their most recent public exhibition in Hempnall
that in order to take part in the planning process members of the public had
to write to Enertrag as part of its consultation procedure. This is also
factually incorrect and while the parish council would encourage all residents
to express their views, whatever they may be, to Enertrag regarding the wind
farm proposal, it is not necessary to do this in order to take part in the
planning process. Members of the public can make their opinions known to both
the Parish Council and SNDC once plans are published and it is not a
pre-requisite to have written to Enertrag first. We would hope that all
Hempnall residents who wish to express a view on this matter will play a full
part in the planning process by writing to the Parish Council and SNDC at the
appropriate time. Hempnall Declaration Finally Enertrag has repeatedly
claimed, in the press and on the radio, that they find the results of a
survey carried out in Hempnall regarding parishioners
opinions on the proposed wind turbine development to be not credible. The
survey in question, namely District Councillor Responses to the Hempnall Declaration
currently total 623 (and they continue to be sent in) of whom 112 are in
favour of the turbines (18%) and 510 are against (82%). 1 formal abstention
has also been received. This represents a response rate of 60% (623 out of a
total of 1046 on the Hempnall electoral roll) and is therefore highly
credible. For Enertrag to suggest otherwise is really an insult to the people
of this village who have freely taken part in this democratic survey. Members of the public and press are always
welcome to attend Parish Council meetings which are held in The Loft of
Hempnall Village Hall at Copies of the full minutes of meetings can
be found in Hempnall Stores and on our website www.hempnallpc.org
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