New photomontages show how windfarm will really look from shore
Greenpeace launches a campaign tomorrow (9th August 2003) to support plans to bring clean green energy to Swansea bay. Local Greenpeace volunteers will be hitting high streets around the region to talk to people about the local and global benefits of the proposal to build a wind farm at Scarweather Sands, 3 miles off the coast of Porthcawl.
The campaign kicks off this weekend in Porthcawl and runs through until October, taking in Porthcawl, Port Talbot, Bridgend, Cardiff, Swansea and Pontypridd. (1)
The campaigners aim to directly address concerns about the visual and environmental impact of the project locally and to stress its global benefits. They will be showing locals new photomontages showing how the proposed wind farm at Scarweather Sands will really look from shore (2). They will also be explaining why Greenpeace is backing the findings of the project's Environmental Impact Assessment.
The photomontages of the wind farm were commissioned to provide accurate and independent visualisations of the wind farm, 3 miles off the coast, after the potential visual impact of the 30 turbines was raised as a concern in the local community.
The volunteers will be asking those residents of the bay who are in favour of the proposal to write letters of support to the Welsh Assembly, ahead of a public inquiry into the proposed wind farm in November.
Natasha Richards from Greenpeace, who lives locally, said:
"We know there are lots of people in our area who support the wind farm proposal, but their voices have been unfairly drowned out by the very vocal opposition campaign, who have been circulating misinformation. We want to make sure that people have the chance to hear the full facts".
"Recent extreme weather across Europe shows that climate change is already a problem. The UK urgently needs to move away from using dirty energy that causes global warming and Scarweather sands and other offshore windfarms are absolutely key to achieving that goal".
She concluded, "The montages show that the wind farm won't be intrusive for local people. The bottom line is we all need to get energy from somewhere, and I'd much rather have an offshore wind farm built than a nuclear power station. I'd be proud for us to host this scheme and I think a lot of people round here feel the same way".
A more detailed media briefing -"Why Greenpeace supports Scarweather Sands Offshore Wind Proposal" is also available.
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning group that does not stand to benefit financially from the proposed wind scheme.
Greenpeace this week launched a new web site www.yes2wind.com with Friends of the Earth and WWF, to give people all the information they need to actively support wind power proposals locally.
(1) High street info points will be on August 9th - Porthcawl, August 13 (Wednesday), Pontypridd, August 16 - Port Talbot, August 20 (Wed) - Swansea, August 30 - Porthcawl, September 6 Port Talbot, September 13 - Cardiff, September 20 - Porthcawl, September 20 Swansea, October 1 - Pontypridd, October 4 - Bridgend. Please confirm dates/locations with Natasha Richards, on 07801 212 972, nearer the time.
(2) The photomontages have been commissioned independently from the developers of the wind farm. They were produced by Citrine UK Ltd, in line with standard industry guidelines.
The photographs incorporate several overlapping frames taken from each viewpoint to create a panorama view. An accurate 3D computer model of the proposed windfarm was created and superimposed over the panorama at the correct position and scale to represent the view after construction"
Citrine UK Limited provides specialist CAD (Computer Aided Design) and visualisation services for the landscape and visual assessment process. It works for private developers and local authorities as well as being consultant to other professional design practices. Its project work is carried out by experienced Chartered Landscape Architects, as accredited by The Landscape Institute.
