Hi Stu,
I'm not going to get into a turbine discussion. I have experience of the industry in the Irish Sea, North Sea and on-shore. I'm also aware of the problems Germany are experiencing in their shift to wind. It is off thread & distracts from the real issue. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it, but there we are.
The CAA issued CAP guidelines on behalf of the government and apart from statutory obligations to a small number of licensed airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, etc) have left it to each airport and airfield to fend for themselves.
Local planning officers are laymen and have to rely on expert witness. When the expert witness is an ex member of the British wind energy association and styles himself as a consultant to the energy industry (with absolutely no relevant qualifications to comment with authority on the subject) it is difficult for planners to differentiate between fact and smokescreen.
The GAAC, LAA, and BMAA have all chipped in on this one. The local MP, a town council and 3 parish councils oppose the development, the safety issues are clear cut and irrefutable. However, we are facing a large well funded industry.
Are you aware that in the past 5 years a total of 9,925 applications for a total of 23,428 turbines have been submitted. Over 90% have had no aviation issues and the LAA has only been requested to respond to less than 100 cases where safety has been compromised.
The GA sector is not anti green energy/wind turbines per se. However where crew, public and aircraft safety are at risk one has to intervene to support airfields faced with irresponsible development. There are more suitable safe sites for these things to be erected.
This issue is not going to go away. Technical & expert witness reports can counter the misleading information put forward by the applicants planning consultants but the airfield needs public support from the community to show the strength of feeling and opposition to this application.
If you are a pilot and want to retain a viable network of GA airfields to be able to enjoy your sport please add your voice to the pilots and local community trying to halt this irresponsible development.