Retirement dreams shattered (From Milford Mercury)

Retirement dreams shattered

12:37pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Letters

THE nightmare has begun as our neighbours at Melin and Penybanc in Castlemorris have applied to Pembrokeshire Council to erect two 79 metre wind turbines just metres away from our cottage. That’s more than twice the height of St David’s Cathedral.

The last 12 months have been dreadful knowing that these applications were on the horizon. Well, literally they will be on the horizon, as according to their planning applications, they will be constructed adjacent to the triangulation point on the prominent Penybanc ridge and will thus be clearly visible from all over the north of the county.

We bought our cottage over nine years ago because of the unspoilt, natural and beautiful views over the surrounding countryside.

Our life savings have been spent on renovating our cottage over the last nine years, with most of the work carried out by ourselves, due to restricted budgets.

Our retirement dreams have now been shattered and we both feel utterly devastated that we may be overshadowed by these towering monstrosities. They are noisy, obtrusive to the eye and known not to contribute greatly to alternative energy as they are inefficient.

There are badger setts in the vicinity, various species of roosting bats and an abundance of butterflies. As for birds, buzzards, ravens, barn and tawny owls are frequently seen; red kites and peregrine falcons are occasional visitors too.

We are not the only residents in the area to potentially have their lives ruined by these insensitive applications.

We have already had people looking through our lounge windows last August when we were not at home and then saying in a consultant’s report that we will not be affected – rubbish!

We also had someone outside the property taking photographs and when confronted he said it was for the turbines applications.

We both feel quite ill now with the worry of it all and the intrusion into our lives.

All the houses and cottages in the vicinity will either see or hear them. If these plans are approved, lanes from Letterston to here will need to be widened, trees cut down, road signs temporarily removed, roads temporarily closed and the railway closed whilst a crane lifts the parts over the railway bridge. It is ridiculous!

But we trust the planning officers at Pembrokeshire County Council and, indeed, the councillors on the planning committee to do the right thing, which is to reject both these applications.

If they don’t more of these giant machines will appear and blight north Pembrokeshire for the next 25 years.

If you feel you can help us, please object to these applications, 12/1100/PA and 12/1096/PA.

PETER AND THERESA ARKLE

Penymynydd

Castlemorris