So finally, the monster
is dead.
Navitus bay wind park –
nearly 200 massive turbines threatening to scar the Dorset coast is
no more.
There is a possibility
the developer (NBDL) may try a Judicial Review. But even if they win
it is a long way back.
I think it is worth
looking at this heroic community defence against a foreign corporate
giant. A giant who had effectively limitless resources, yet still
failed.
So why was Navitus Bay
rejected while most other coast-scarring monsters have had the
go-ahead?
A major reason Navitus
Bay was rejected had nothing to do with the amount of seabed damage,
or the job losses that would ensue in the tourist trade and certainly
nothing to do with the extortionate cost and ineffectiveness of the
whole scheme. It was in essence rejected because of its unique
position.
Navitus Bay, beggaring
belief, was going to be built off the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.
Arrogant as ever, the NBDL impact assessment estimated virtually a
nil impact on this special location.
Luckily for us UNESCO
disagreed. The UNESCO report (prepared by the IUCN) comprehensively
junked the self serving NBDL documentation.
After the humiliation
meeted out by the IUCN report most honourable and decent
organisations would have then backed away. But not NBDL.
I suppose they were so
used to seeing government assisted wind farm developers trample over
local concerns they thought they could ignore a UN agency as well. In
most circumstances they would probably have been right.
While the UNESCO
report was devastating, NBDL might still have pulled it off.
But then the brick
wall of community opposition hit them.
National Records were
set. Navitus Bay became the most objected development in UK history.
Thousands of people
poured over the mountain of obfuscated and unclear documentation.
They exposed howlers, errors and half truths. Many of which may well
have been missed by an overwhelmed Planning Inspectorate.
We were particularly
blessed by having the “Challenge Navitus” team. A volunteer
group who literally took the NBDL documentation apart.
We had the local MP's
on-board, and the mainland councils as well. They all made lots of
noise about how terrible this scheme would be.
In essence, Navitus Bay
was defeated by the community.
Without mass community
objection then even this World Heritage Coast scarring monster may
have been approved. The solid and long term opposition to this
planned outrage is to the eternal credit to the people of Dorset.
So if you are
confronted by one of these money hungry coast defiling carpet baggers
always remember your community is probably more powerful and
resourceful than you think. Encourage community objection.
Developers love to
insist that resistance is useless.
It never is.
