Most favour wind farms

A poll has revealed that an overwhelming majority of Palmerston North residents see wind farms as an asset for the region.

But critics of the controversial energy generators say the erection of any more turbines will test the community's tolerance.

The poll, commissioned by the Manawatu Standard, asked 467 people in the city if they agreed with the following statement: Wind farms in Manawatu are an asset for the region.

Thirty-seven per cent strongly agreed, 50 per cent agreed, 7 per cent disagreed and 2 per cent strongly disagreed. Four per cent didn't know.

News that 87 per cent of Palmerston North residents approve of wind farming in Manawatu comes as the region awaits a decision on the contentious Turitea Wind Farm proposal.

The planned wind farm could see up to 104 turbines added to the skyline on the Tararua Range.

While the Standard poll, carried out by research company Versus, did not ask residents their views on the Turitea Wind Farm proposal because of its complexity, critics say the project could sour people's perception of wind farming.

A 10-week resource consent hearing for the Turitea project ended in March, but a decision on whether the farm should be allowed to go ahead is yet to be made by the Environment Ministry.

Palmerston North City Council is the biggest landowner associated with the proposal, which will allow Mighty River Power to use the Turitea reserve for more than half of the farm's turbines.

The council was once an enthusiastic partner in the project, but later became a critic of its huge scale. However, it remains involved.

Palmerston North city councillor Michael Feyen, campaigning for the Tararua mayoralty, said the region had enough turbines already.

"I would agree they're an asset, I'm just saying `no more'," he said.

"We've given half our ranges. I don't believe we should give the other half."

But wind farming advocate Joseph Poff said the Standard poll was further proof of "silent majority" support for wind farms and even more people in Palmerston North would support the Turitea Wind Farm if they knew the potential benefits ratepayers would receive from royalties.

Mr Poff said Turitea, if approved, would be "the people's wind farm" and opponents were a tiny minority given too much attention.

Tararua-Aokautere Guardians (TAG) president Kevin Low accepted the majority of Palmerston North people were in favour of wind farms, but said people who lived closer to the turbines – and who were negatively affected by them – would be less likely to see them as an asset. He said TAG was not against wind farms, but believed they should not be in places where they could disrupt people's sleep or cause health problems.

The Turitea Wind Farm would be too close to houses and would also be an inappropriate use of the Turitea native bush reserve.

Sixty-eight houses would be within 2km of turbines at the planned farm. Mr Low said the Te Rere Hau wind farm on the Tararua Range was an example of a farm people didn't appreciate in their backyard, as noise from the two-bladed turbines has prompted hundreds of complaints being made to the city council.

Last year, a survey for Mighty River Power found 60 per cent of 601 respondents supported the Turitea Wind Farm, 18 per cent were opposed and 22 per cent either didn't know or were indifferent.

A social impact expert for the city council, James Baines, told the Turitea hearing that there was strong support for wind farms but that support was at a "tipping point".

- © Fairfax NZ News