£1/2m sweetener’

A CONSORTIUM planning a wind farm at Marshland St James will stage a series of public meetings next week.

They will take place in Outwell, Emneth and in the village hall and details will be revealed of a £500,000 "windfall" for community projects if the scheme goes ahead.

Ian Robinson, the consortium's spokesman, said: "This is an opportunity to find out exactly what is going to be proposed."

His announcement will spark an outcry from anti-wind turbine protestors, already enraged by the sight of a German van seen touring the Fens, which they believe was being used for a site survey to rekindle the bid for 26 wind turbines.

A spokesman for Fenland Landscape against Turbines (FLAT), the anti-wind turbine group, said: "For those of you who don't speak German, the slogans on the back of the van translate to heavy transport switching, stretching investigation, permission, construction supervision and steel plate letting,.

"We can, therefore, only assume that they were undertaking preliminary investigations in relation to the wind factory.

"We get the feeling that many local residents thought this project had gone away. Unfortunately, these pictures prove that it has not."

The group's opposition to the Marshland St James turbines are in stark contrast to neighbouring Fenland District Council, whose recently-commissioned study could pave the way for an expansion of turbines.

Early findings from the study are being used to justify agreement for a further eight.

According to planning officer Stephanie Thompson, the landscape can accommodate some turbine development "without a significant impact on its character or the key characteristics being adversely affected".

However, in Marshland FLAT is preparing for the next stage of its opposition.

In a statement to supporters, it urged: "With your help we can defeat this unwanted desecration of our beloved Fenland landscape.