However a few people were not so sure. They had doubts about how useful wind energy would be in the long-run - especially in Berkeley Vale. Facts started to be gathered and knowledge was built. Gradually, through meetings, presentations and discussions more and more people realised that far from being a free, natural resource that would avoid further damage to nature - wind energy in Berkeley Vale would actually do more harm than good!

Over the last three and a half years the media in general, and the Government, have begun a shift away from a pro-turbine stance. Initially articles appeared comparing the arguments of pro and anti wind energy activists, and it would seem that many people believed anti turbine groups had the stronger argument because major newspapers now print stories about the troubles with turbines regularly.

We basically have one belief: the severely limited amount of energy that will be produced in Berkeley Vale (due to the fact we are low down, the alignment of the turbines is inappropriate, the wind speeds are below national averages, and other factors) will not offset the undeniable impact they will have - the catastrophic visual impact next to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty being just one. When you then start considering the potential further problems - the noise issue, the damage done to the environment just to build a turbine, and more - things look even worse.

But if there's no wind how will they make money? Through the vast subsidies given to wind energy - subsidies that end up pushing your energy bills through the roof! Subsidies can be very useful for phasing in new technologies but if turbines still - after all these years - require taking so much money from every bill-payers pocket surely something must be wrong?!

Ecotricity have since lowered the number of turbines to 4, but even so it was still deemed totally unacceptable by the Stroud District Council Development Control Committee. They voted against the Officer's Report which recommended approving the turbines, and Ecotricity appealed the decision on the 30th June 2011.

Ecotricity say the silent majority are in favour - pointing to a poll they had done suggesting a lot of local support for the turbines. We reject this - their poll was taken mostly be calling people in GL5 and GL6. Only 3 people - as far as we are aware - were called in Stinchcombe! Hundreds of people have turned out to protest against the turbines, often at short notice - we know that a lot more than a handful of people are against the turbines.

We sought legal representation to aid us during the appeal process, and were very lucky to have an excellent Planning Consultant on board - with 12 years experience in the field of wind turbines. And he's not just someone who opposes wind turbines - he has argued both for and against turbines, basing his opinion on a case-by-case basis. Indeed he has said of the Berkeley Vale proposal: "I have never seen a wind turbine development in such an inappropriate location in terms of escarpment, turbine layout and proximity."

We are not fighting just for financial gain, or because we are NIMBYs, but because we firmly believe we are morally right to oppose the wind turbines.

October 2012