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Save Our Silton

Latest news updates:-

Great news! North Dorset District Council Development Control Committee yesterday (2nd July) voted unanimously to reject the Ecotricity proposal.

Many thanks to all those many people who have supported us in achieving this victory for common sense.

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Please select from the following links for further important information (they will download the documents to your machine):

• Planners report
• Hearing protocol (PDF)
• Hearing information (PDF)
• Blimp flying times

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SAVE OUR SILTON DINNER DANCE

Saturday 11th July, 7 - Late

The Old House Barn, Milton-on-Stour

Dress: 50s (Optional). Tickets from Nicky Baxter 01747 822731              

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Save Our Silton

PRESS RELEASE
05 January 2009

CARNAGE AS ECOTRICITY TURBINE COLLAPSES

On Saturday night an Ecotricity wind turbine at their Fen Farm site in Conisholme, North East Lincolnshire (similar to those being proposed at Silton in Somerset) suffered a catastrophic structural failure in the freezing conditions.

Two huge blades were severely damaged after apparently making contact with the tower. One blade fell to the ground only after shedding large pieces of debris from height and over a wide area.

The base of the tower now shows signs of a major impact as the blade smashed through the entrance structure at ground level before rolling into the neighbouring field.

Ecotricity emergency engineers arrived on site at 15.00 on January 4th to begin an examination of the damage and assess the cost of repairs needed.

Local Dorset residents are now demanding answers regarding the safety of the turbines proposed at Silton.

Chairman, Save Our Silton, Chris Langham said;

“These issues around wind turbine safety in the cold weather are not new.
In December we reported on the potentially lethal ice that was thrown from blades at Whittlesey - Ecotricity’s own website acknowledged the risk of ice throw when it cited it as the reason not to go ahead with a recent proposal for a wind turbine at Manchester City stadium. The Fen Farm incident shows that there are other safety concerns.

We hope that this incident will once more show planners the real problems over safety and design that Ecotricity’s Enercon turbines have and that the proposed site at Silton is just too close to houses to be safe.”

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Click here to view photographs of the incident

For further information please call 07968 049 832

Notes for Editors 1) Save Our Silton now has over 500 local, individual and family members.

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THE BLIMP

Hundreds of local people watching the blimp when we flew it were shocked to see how high it was over the field near the site proposed for the turbines. But the blimp is only 20 feet long and 8 feet across at its widest point (a mere speck seen from the ground), while the six turbines blades, 230 feet in diameter, will each take up more than an acre of space as they turn in the sky.

We will be flying the blimp again nearer the time of the NDDC Hearing - now scheduled for the end of June 2009.

The blimp was paid for by a group of SOS supporters who have leased it free of charge to SOS.

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Proposed Turbine location map

please follow this link to open a full size version.

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The nearest Ecotricity turbine is this recently completed one in the Mendips at Shooters Bottom.

It is slightly smaller than the 6 proposed for Silton. Note the (large!) barn to the right of the base.