Anti-wind vandals plan backfires

When anti-wind vandals wrecked a hi-tech mast designed to assess the suitability of an edge of town site for a two-turbine community windfarm, it was assumed that the project would be delayed.

In an unexpected twist, it appears the vandalism has done exactly the opposite and sped up the project.

In December the North Walsham project in Norfolk, which could eventually generate cash for the local community as well as green energy for the National Grid, was affected by the destruction of its 70 metre tall wind speed measuring anemometer.

Cables holding the Unity Wind mast up were cut and the mast fell to the ground, damaging the equipment used to transmit the wind data.

When he heard about the damage, another local wind turbine developer Andy Hilton, who runs a company called Wind Power Renewables offered to help.

It turned out that the data he has collected at another prospective turbine site near Stalham was similar enough to what had already been collected at North Walsham that experts could use it in place of what would have been collected by the damaged mast.

This means the potential year long survey at North Walsham has been rendered unnecessary and a replacement weather mast is now no longer required on-site.

“Somebody tried to damage us but in fact they have done the opposite,” said Alicia Hull of Unity Wind.

“It's rare that it is possible to use result from another metmast, but in this case the professionals who analyse this data said it would be fine.

“We are very grateful to Andy for his help and generosity.”

Mr Hilton said he had no objection to people objecting to wind turbines, but has had his own experience of underhand tactics being employed.

“We have had an instance where a landowner providing temporary construction access had undue pressure put on him and he felt he must withdraw his support.

“That kind of behaviour takes away from a democratic process.”