CONCERNED residents in Tibberton are urging planning chiefs to reject a controversial scheme to build a wind turbine near their village.

Applicant Distributed Generation Ltd wants to harness the wind to produce clean energy and sell it to power up to 600 homes on a site near junction 6 of the M5.

The application is now set to be discussed by Wychavon District Council’s planning committee on Thursday (June 21).

It could see a 91m single wind turbine build at Apex Motorcross in Pershore Lane, Tibberton, near Droitwich Spa.

The council’s planning officers have recommended the application for approval despite concerns from Tibberton Parish Council, Hindlip, Martin Hussingtree and Salwarpe Parish Council and letters of objection from people living nearby.

Campaigners from the Tibberton Action Group (TAG) are now warning that, if it is allowed to go ahead, there is also a real risk of the turbine causing a major accident with significant loss of life.

The group says the turbine could hurl large pieces of ice and other debris onto the carriageways of the motorway as it ages.

The warning follows a study carried out by TAG engineers which apparently shows that, depending upon the speed at which it is working, a turbine of this height could throw ice and debris a distance of between 144 metres and 812 metres at speeds of up to 200 kilometres an hour.

“The plan is to erect this just over 140 metres away from the motorway at Junction 6 which is one of the busiest road junctions in Worcestershire, so that puts the many thousands of motorists who use it every day well within range.

“There have been several instances of turbines throwing off pieces of ice and debris up to two feet long and if something that big hit a vehicle travelling at speed, it would almost certainly cause a catastrophic accident,” said David Campbell of TAG.

Wychavon councillors are also being asked to throw out the plans following new fears about it being unviable due to a cut in Government funding.

TAG says the turbine could become uneconomic if Government plans to slash its grants to wind farms are introduced.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, has ordered the Treasury to draw up plans for a 25 per cent reduction in subsidies for onshore wind farms, a move which environmentalists say will put an end to the development of further wind power sites.

“It is clear that the latest thinking on policies for industrial wind turbines is changing and if the one at Tibberton is given the go ahead simply because the planners have to use outdated planning policies, we may well see a derelict, rusting monument due to lack of foresight,” added Mr Campbell.

John Zamick from Distributed Generation Ltd said: “Wind turbines have an incredible safety record world-wide and there are almost no incidents of wind turbines injuring people.

“Resident concerns shouldn’t be taken lightly and the planning process, which has taken round six months, won’t allow for that.

“However, I have found that people’s fears of wind turbines is much greater than the reality of them.

“We want to engage with the community at Tibberton and it is our intent to make an annual contribution to the parish council.”