A PROPOSAL to build a 50m wind turbine close to homes in South East Cornwall has angered a village into protest action. A large group of residents from Pensilva, near Liskeard, met on Wednesday evening to discuss how to stop a proposal for a wind turbine to be built at Redland, close to the village. Cornwall Light and Power, the company behind the proposal, wants to put up 1.3megawatt turbine which would output enough energy to power around 900 homes. The company has said this could prevent the emission of between 2,500 and 3,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere a year. However, some residents are not convinced and Danny Mageean, who lives at Redland Farm, says wind power is not the answer. 'What I have discovered is that wind turbines are ineffective.' he said. 'As wind starts and stops, they only work a small percentage of the time.' Other residents were also concerned about the effect the new turbine would have on the landscape and their health. Villagers were given research, published last month by Plymouth GP Dr Amanda Harry, which stated that three-quarters of people whose homes are situated within 1.2 miles of wind turbines, that she surveyed, felt that the noise has damaged their quality of life, while four out of five have said that it has affected their health by giving them migraines and depriving them of sleep. 'I suffer from bad headaches and I am worried the turbine will increase those problems,' said Terry Salone, who lives at Moorland Park, within half-a- mile of the proposed site. However, Don Whiting of Cornwall Light and Sounds has said villagers' claims that they will be able to hear the noise from the turbine from miles away are inaccurate. 'One thing that you have to understand with turbines is that the technology has grown,' he said. 'The noise levels from these turbines are insignificant. We have been to a similar turbine in County Durham and recorded sound from 400 and 800 metres away and you will be able to see the fear of noise is unfounded. I hasten to add that this is a proposal and is, of course, subject to the decision of the local planning authority. 'We regard it as our responsibility to enable local people to understand what the proposal means and to express their opinion.' A public consultation will be held at the Millennium Centre in Pensilva today starting from 1pm, with a project presentation at 6.30pm.
