By Sarah ChambersCAMPAIGNERS against a wind farm scheme have attacked a plan to move one of the proposed 100m turbines to a different location.Saxon Windpower wants to move one of the six turbines planned for Parham Airfield, near Framlingham, about 60 metres to prevent interference with a telecommunications link.

By Sarah Chambers

CAMPAIGNERS against a wind farm scheme have attacked a plan to move one of the proposed 100m turbines to a different location.

Saxon Windpower wants to move one of the six turbines planned for Parham Airfield, near Framlingham, about 60 metres to prevent interference with a telecommunications link.

But campaign group No Windfarm At Parham (NOWAP) said the turbine should be removed altogether as moving it would bring it closer to homes.

“The area in which this turbine would stand is severely constrained by the presence of roads, other telecommunication links and houses,” it claimed.

The proposal placed the turbine “right on the boundary of Saxon Windpower Ltd's own 650m exclusion zone” and brought it closer to some homes, the group argued.

David Inman, NOWAP spokesman, said: “This just confirms our worst fears about Saxon Windpower Ltd's lack of concern for local people.

“These gigantic turbines were already much too close to people's houses, but now, rather than cut their profits, they go back on their undertakings and move the turbines in closer still.”

James Townsend, spokesman for Saxon Windpower, said: “Saxon Windpower has taken into consideration comments raised by all consultees and, where necessary, acted upon them.

“For instance, as part of the consultation process a telecommunications link has been identified which requires turbine six to be moved a short distance of around 60m to prevent interference with this link.

“The new position of this turbine has been reassessed by all consultants to ensure that all other environmental impacts were still acceptable.”

Richard Mardon, Saxon Windpower director, added: “Saxon Windpower believe that this is the best site for a wind farm in Suffolk Coastal and look forward to seeing this wind farm generate electricity equivalent to the annual energy needs of over 4000 homes, which is over 8% of the households in the Suffolk Coastal area.”

The application to site what could become Suffolk's first on-shore wind farm at Parham Airfield is expected to be decided by Suffolk Coastal District Council around October.

A council spokesman said: “We are assessing this change as an amendment to the original scheme and all the issues cited are being investigated.”

sarah.chambers@eadt.co.uk