Setting the Story Straight
PRESERVE aims to campaign vigorously against the Chelveston Renewable Energy Park proposal which IS NOT A DONE DEAL . We have recently produced “Setting the Story Straight”, which is a leaflet which challenges the negative portrayal of the quality of the landscape which surrounds the Chelveston Airfield.
a
Setting the Story Straight about “A featureless landscape”
(Planning, Design and Access Statement 5.16)!
a
It is noticeable how much the CRE proposal undervalues and even misrepresents the area around the airfield and its surrounding villages. The recent double page spread on Yelden and Melchbourne in the Spring edition of Discover Bedfordshire was a welcome and timely acknowledgement of the true character and unique appeal of two of our villages. The article reminds us of what we’re seeking to preserve in the area as a whole, that is
- traditional villages which haven’t been swallowed up by modernity
- unspoilt panoramic views
- “the quiet corner of North Bedfordshire” that is acknowledged in the article’s conclusion.
PRESERVE believes that the intrusion of 9 turbines will have a detrimental effect on this environment. In their proposal, the developers deliberately misrepresent the area in their attempt to minimise the visual impact of a development which would, given its prominent location, transform the character of the local landscape. PRESERVE has produced a leaflet, ‘Setting the Story Straight’, which shows up the general inaccuracy of the portrayal of the area and the cavalier quality of some of the assertions the developer makes in the Planning, Design and Access Statement (PDAS). The photographs below surely show up this misrepresentation:
“far away from landscapes of any real quality” (5.16) ?!!
” a flat, open and featureless landscape” (5.23) ?!!
There is also a disregard for the impact the development will have on the cultural heritage of the area surrounding the airfield. This is illustrated by the false claim that there are “no historic or cultural features which are close to the sites of the proposed turbines” (PDAS 5.17). This is in stark contrast to the portrayal of Yelden and Melchbourne in the Discover Bedfordshire article, which states, “For those who love the mystery, romance and intrigue of life in medieval England these are two adjacent villages in the north of Bedfordshire that encompass it all. Little effort is required to conjure up pictures of life in the time of the Conquest”!
We believe that the proposed turbines will have an overwhelming impact on the context in which several historic sites and buildings can be seen and appreciated.
The outcome of the proposed development will be a transformed environment, which will have inevitable consequences for the community’s ability to enjoy the local amenities as they currently do. For example, the walk around Yelden, which the Discover Bedfordshire magazine article recommends, will certainly be impaired in the future by the addition of 9 turbines, whcih are not usually noted for their medieval character!
The website http://www.letsgo.org.uk/walk/ features another walk, from Yelden to Melchbourne, which can be downloaded – ‘Ancient Walks in the North Bedfordshire Wolds’ (Opening Up The Secret Countryside). If you go to the Hidden Britain website www.hidden-britain.co.uk you will also find several other pictures of Yelden. These promotions are surely endorsements which once more deny the developer’s portrayal of the area as being “far away from landscapes of any real quality” !
It is noticeable that the Ancient Walks are publicised in partnership with Enjoy England, the national tourist board for England. At a time when we are being encouraged to consider ‘staycations’ and holidaying at home, the local County Councils must surely be keen to promote what’s already available. One such well-established activity, which brings visitors to the area, is walking the Three Shires Way. It is hard to believe that the proposed development will enhance the appeal of the walk – the prospect of walking towards a skyline of 9 turbines is surely scant reward for the walkers’ endeavour and is likely to deter people rather than attract them. If the development goes ahead it is likely to have a damaging impact on one of the well-known attractions of the region.
The Three Shires Way at Lower Dean
