With Reference to a Conflict over the Use of a Local Resource, Outline the Reasons for the Conflict and the Attitudes of Different Group of People to It. 8 Marks.

With reference to a conflict over the use of a local resource, outline the reasons for the conflict and the attitudes of different group of people to it. 8 marks.

Fullabrook wind farm is located between Barnstable and Ilfracombe, it lies to the west of an area of natural beauty, and however the wind farm itself does not lie in this area. The wind farm has 22 turbines and generates 66 megawatts of energy a year which is enough to power 30,000 homes and 30% of North Devon’s energy requirements. The reasons for the conflict is over land, tourism and the environment. A group who were against the construction of the wind farm was the RSPCA, they were concerned with the disturbance of habitats with the implementation of the 22 wind turbines and the noise which they create. The noise can be up to 41 decibels, which has disturbed nesting birds. Other groups who disagreed with the wind farm, were the North Devon District Council (who turned down the project three times in 2004), the CPRE (campaign for the protection of rural England) and a local democratic MP both disagree with its construction. Also Nick Williams was against it, as he was the closest home owner to the turbines and he would and has been most affected by the noise. This is shown through his appeal wanting compensation, as he believes the noise is the cause for his depression. Looking at tourism, companies whose main income relies on tourism with tourists coming to the Devon coastline were also against the idea. Brad who owns Braddicks holiday centre in north Devon said, ‘ The landscape behind my hotel is now crowded with huge white, ugly and noisy turbines’ this is a quote from the North Devon gazette, where he clearly gives his views on the Wind farm.

The conflict was mainly over the land as two groups wanted it for different uses, those in favour of the wind farm wanted the land to build the farm, whereas others wanted to keep the landscape the same and they did not want 22 turbines