The Dutch company Eneco has chosen its preferred site for turbines - and it's just eight miles from Swanage
Following concerns raised by MBM in January on the proposed construction of a windfarm in a busy cruising area to the west of the Isle of Wight, the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has now expressed its own doubts about the development.
Today Dutch company Eneco announced plans to build the windfarm
within a 76 square mile area approximately 8.2 miles from Peveril Point
in Swanage, 10.2 miles from Bournemouth and 8.4 miles south west of The
Needles and the Isle of Wight coast.
Caroline Price, RYA’s
Planning and Environmental Advisor, said “We are concerned that the
preferred development area is poorly located from a wider navigational
perspective”.
MBM editor Carl Richardson welcomed the RYA’s stance,”It’s good to hear that the RYA is investigating this development,” he said.
“The
preferred location looks to be incredibly close to popular cruising
grounds and must surely be seen as an unnecessary hazard to local and
visiting skippers.”
The RYA has arranged further meetings with Eneco, the company behind the proposed windfarm, to discuss the exact details of the proposed development and to re-emphasise concerns over this preferred location.
Interested groups can engage directly with the consultation at the following information days being held by Eneco around the Solent.
Weymouth: Pavilion Theatre – Wednesday 16 March 2011
Poole: RNLI Lifeboat College – Thursday 17 March 2011
Newport, Isle of Wight: Quay Arts Centre – Wednesday 23 March 2011
Lymington: Lymington Community Centre – Thursday 24 March 2011
Christchurch: Regent Centre – Friday 25 March 2011
Bournemouth: Pavilion Theatre – Wednesday 30 March 2011
Swanage: Mowlem Theatre – Thursday 31 March 2011
