Environment Disruption to Wildlife and Wetlands
The area is now a SBI (Site of Biological Interest)
In 1999 Severn Trent launched their own Biodiversity Action Plan and chose Aston Hall Farm as the ‘model’ site to undertake a scheme of Biodiversity Enhancement. Between 2001 and 2004 restoration works were undertaken including restoring UK priority habitats such as river margins by re-profiling of meanders, creating shallow pools and re-wetting some 43 acres of grassland to form flood plain grazing marsh and maximising the wildlife value of the arable farmland.
As well as an increase in priority habitats many UK priority species have increased, namely wetland and farmland birds, as well as bats, otters, watervole, barn owl, great crested newts. This area is deemed an area of local nature conservation importance and now a site of biological importance.
The Ramblers Association is opposed to the development
Writing to Severn Trent they say the presence of the turbines will have both a terrifying visual and an aural impact on the area as well as subjecting users to the extremely unpleasant shadow and flicker as the blades rotate with the potential for inducing migrane and epilectic fits.
The Ramblers Association is thus opposed to this development because:
- it makes the area less attractive to walkers because of the visual and noise pollution caused by the turbines
- of the ovewhelming presence of the turbines at some 130m total height towering above the trees
- it turns a rural countryside and a wild life site into an industrial environment
Severn Trent have acknowledged that the public footpath through the site will probably be closed during the construction phase and diverted after the commissioning.
Does this mean that the Aston to Burston Trail will not survive if the proposal goes ahead?
The National Trust in their submission to the Consultation on Draft National Policy Statements for Energy Infrastructure in January 2010 state...
"The framework (of the National Policy)... can be perceived as being weighted in favour of development, lacks strong guidance as to when and why applications should be refused as is insufficient in its inclusion of local voices and concerns.
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Stone & Trent Valley opposed to Severn Trent Water
