Victoria Atkins has condemned Labour and Liberal Democrats’ plans for thousands more publicly subsidised wind turbines after the election.
The plans emerged after one of Britain’s biggest wind farm companies, RWE Innogy UK (‘RWE’), revealed that in private discussions senior Labour and Liberal Democrat figures have given ‘very strong support for onshore wind in one-to-one conversations’.
RWE is building the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm and is applying for permission to install underground cabling from the wind turbines to Anderby Creek and onto Bicker Fen, running through Orby and other villages.
Victoria Atkins commented:
“In recent months, I have travelled around the constituency listening to local people’s views on wind farms. I have also visited the sites where applications for wind farms have been made so that I can see for myself the potential impact on local communities.
From Tetney to Orby, many people in Louth & Horncastle will be appalled to hear about these Labour and Liberal Democrat plans for a massive expansion of onshore wind farms.
Lincolnshire already has more than its fair share of wind farms – and the coast of Louth & Horncastle bears a particular burden, onshore and offshore. Enough is enough!
Now that we have enough onshore wind power to meet our renewables target, the Prime Minister has promised to end public subsidies for newly planned onshore wind farms in Lincolnshire. A Conservative Government would also ensure that large-scale onshore wind farms in England and Wales are determined through the locally-led planning system - not the national infrastructure regime.
Only a Conservative government will deliver this: a vote for any other party risks electing Ed Milliband and, consequently, the landscape of Lincolnshire’s countryside and coast.
“At the next election people in Louth & Horncastle have a clear choice: between the strong leadership of the Conservatives who will protect our local natural beauty for our children and grandchildren – or a vote for any other party which would lead to the chaos of more publicly subsidised wind farms.”