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Turbines’ bad vibes
• RECENTLY, as part of the refurbishment of its Victorian mansion blocks in Rosebery Avenue, Finsbury, St Pancras Housing’s contractors experimented by installing wind turbines (in addition to solar panels), about which the tenants have never been formally consulted.
These wind turbines are causing significant problems – noise, cracks and vibrations – for residents in Braunton Mansions, where the work is completed,. So residents in the next phase (Bideford and Barnstable Mansions) tried to challenge planning permission for wind turbines there, but to no avail.
Research indicates small wind turbines in urban areas produce a minuscule amount of “green” energy, which is diminished further if the energy and materials used for their manufacture and maintenance are included in the equation.
Constant vibration from these devices might well damage historic buildings, and then there is the disturbance inflicted upon tenants inside, who suffer sleepless nights.
At a meeting last week it was clear that the Islington Council committee, rather than erring on the side of caution, tends to harbour a worrying policy of presumption in favour of any gizmo that canny businessmen label “green” – however spurious that appellation may actually be. That our homes are being used for an experiment is confirmed by the data supplied by the council for the meeting. It is stated unequivocally: “Their [the wind turbines] main task is to provide physical wind and energy data for future decision-making.”
Nobody from St Pancras Housing attended, just its contractors (which presumably stand to gain financially from this experiment, or else why would they even bother with it?). Afterwards I asked one of them if he’s got a wind turbine on his home. He refused to answer, calling my question “abusive”.
Am I alone in feeling heartily sick of punctilious bureaucrats (many, unlike myself, driving large cars and flying to exotic holidays) with their specious “green” agenda, presuming to pontificate about my carbon-footprint?
Name and address supplied
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