Sir David Attenborough opens controversial Glyndebourne wind turbine

23 January 2012, source edie newsroom

Sir David at the launch

Legendary broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough launched what is claimed to be a UK first for the arts.

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Frozen Planet presenter, Sir David, officially started a 67 metre high 900kW Enercon E44 turbine making Glyndebourne, famous for its annual opera festival, the only arts venue to generate its own power using a large scale wind turbine, according to the presenter.

Glyndebourne, which is nestled in the East Sussex countryside near picturesque Lewes, has had a hard fight to win approval for the turbine and Sir David was very vocal in his support of the scheme.

The scheme has not won overall support from the surrounding community and since the idea was initially conceived in 2004 it has run the gauntlet of planning permission.

Initially, planning officers recommended the scheme to be turned down, but district councillors voted in favour by four to six.

However Hazel Blears, the then secretary of state for communities and local government, called in the decision for public inquiry.

Sir David, who the anti-turbine lobby point doesn't live in the area, does regularly attend Glyndebourne spoke for two hours on the scheme's behalf at the enquiry which eventually gave it the green light.

Despite opening the turbine officially last week it has been working since last year and in December generated 212,305Kwh, almost double the amount used by the venue in the same month in 2010.

Luke Walsh