About Us

“Stop Bickerton Wind Turbines” or SBWT is an action group of local residents formed in January 2008.

Our purpose is to protect and conserve the landscape, tranquillity and wildlife of the Bickerton Hill area for the benefit of residents, local businesses and visitors.

Our immediate aim is to oppose proposals for the erection of a wind monitoring mast and possible future industrial wind turbine power station on a site lying between and very close to Bickerton Hill (belonging to the National Trust) and Cholmondeley Park, both Areas of Special County Value for landscape.

Cholmondeley Park viewed from Bickerton Hill. The proposed wind mast site lies between these two areas of Special County Value for Landscape. 

Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bickerton_Hill for more information about Bickerton Hill

See the planning application for further details

Where does SBWT stand on climate change?

The scientific evidence about climate change is overwhelming. Its impact will be severe unless nations and individuals take steps to address it by:

·         reducing wasted energy

·         developing low carbon energy generation schemes sufficient to meet the future energy needs of the UK

What about wind turbine power generation?

Because of the fickle nature of wind in and around the UK, wind turbines will generate relatively small proportion of the electrical power consumed by homes and  businesses in the future. Wind turbines cannot support the 24 x 7 base load that is essential for domestic and business activities in the UK. 

The UK Government has recently announced an initiative to accelerate the development of off-shore wind turbines that can take advantage of the stronger and more consistent off-shore winds, are larger and therefore more efficient than on-shore wind turbines and avoid the negative impacts of on-shore wind farms on people and the surrounding countryside. We support this initiative.

Click link to “Wind Energy” for more information.

Click link to “Technical Background” for more information about wind turbines.

Why does SBWT oppose on-shore industrial wind turbines in rural locations?

On-shore industrial wind-turbines:

·         generate relatively small amounts of power. Power that because of the variability of wind speed is of little use in supporting the day to day needs of UK residents and businesses

·         convert rural areas to industrial areas and spoil the and tranquillity and landscape for both residents and visitors. Many beautiful areas of the countryside have already been industrialised. If this continues, there will be very few rural landscapes in the UK for us to enjoy

·         have a negative impact on the rural economy, particularly tourism and property values

·         have little or no significant benefit for local communities

Why does SBWT specifically oppose an industrial wind turbine power station in Bickerton?

Each proposed site has its own set of issues which need to be researched thoroughly. SBWT is opposed to the Bickerton proposals because if approved, they will:

• have a major impact on the lives of current and future residents in the communities of Bickerton, Cholmondeley, Brown Knowl, Bulkeley and Egerton for 25 years. Our rural area would become an industrial area. Click link to go to “ Useful links” which includes articles and videos about communities that have been affected by wind turbines
• be completely out of scale with the surrounding countryside. Although we have no sight yet of the developer’s plans, we do know that they are considering 5 wind turbines and that the wind turbines proposed by them at another site are 125 metres (410 ft) high.
• • Nearly as high as the Blackpool Tower or the Euston Tower office block which has 36 storeys
  • These turbines would in fact stand taller than Bickerton Hill itself.
  • The visual impact is considerably worsened by the rotation of the blades .. the tips of the blades speed through the air at over 100 miles per hour
  • These turbines would be visible from locations up to 20 miles away
  • Click here to go to “Visual Impact”
• have a major impact on tourism. More than 40,000 visitors come to this area very year. Authoritative surveys suggest that wind turbines reduce tourism by approximately 15%. Click link to go to “Economic Impact”
• reduce the amenity value and hence property prices for residents in and businesses in the area. Click link to go to “Economic Impact”
• have a harmful effect on birds and possibly other wildlife in the surrounding area, particularly Cholmondeley Park. Click link to go to “Environmental Impact”
• have other negative more or less serious impacts on local residents and students at the local school arising from noise, flicker, safety construction traffic, aircraft safety and other factors about which we currently have little data. Click link to go to “Useful links”

What is SBWT doing?

SBWT is actively campaigning to ensure these planning applications and appeals are rejected by:

• ensuring that all residents are aware of the issues impacting on them though public meetings, adverts, email newsletters, this website and engaging their support
• engaging the support of local businesses
• employing independent specialists in the areas of planning law, landscape and renewable energy
• producing authoritative rebuttals of the planning applications and appeals
• See Latest News to see what our........

What is SBWT?

SBWT is a membership organisation served by a committee currently comprising eight local residents. Officers and roles include:

Chairman

Deputy Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

Deputy Secretary

Press Officer

Webmaster

You can contact us via email info@stopbickertonwindfarm.co.uk or at

A PO Box (to be published shortly)

You can download a copy of our constitution by clicking here

What can I do?

1.     Go to our section Get Involved and see how you can make a difference and help conserve this special corner of Cheshire.

2.      Visit The Energy Savings Trust website and learn how we can all make day to day changes to save energy and cut CO2 emissions.