MEDIA RELEASE

31 January, 2006

Quartz Hill Reserve Charitable Trust Appeals Wind Farm Ruling

Hugh Barr, spokesman for the Quartz Hill Reserve Charitable Trust, announced today that the Trust has appealed the decision of the Commissioners of the Wellington City and Regional Councils, on Meridian Energy’s 70 turbine “West Wind” windfarm at Makara.

Mr Barr said ”Although the Commissioners found that there would be significant adverse effects on Makara’s outstanding coastal landscape, they approved the whole proposal. And they ignored the advice of the City Council’s independent landscape planner that 21 turbines should be removed. In the end they put no value on a broad range of local concerns raised at the hearing”

Mr Barr said “Meridian continues to fund a million dollar ad campaign on TV. This pushes a virtuous view of wind power, but ignores its problems. Their proposal has too many wind turbines within the Makara coastal and residential environment. Clearly the most intrusive of these can be removed with only a small effect on overall output.”

Quartz Hill Reserve Charitable Trust has as its goal the protection of the natural, open space and recreational value of Quartz Hill and Coastal Makara escarpment for the enjoyment of the public.

ENDS

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