Credit:     Adrian Pearson     The Journal     (01/10/11)      Click on the link for the full article then vote whether you agree with mr Huhne ..  or not!

Energy secretary Chris Huhne has told the North East to learn to love “beautiful” wind turbines and called for hundreds more to be given the go ahead.

Speaking at Newcastle’s Centre for Life, he said: “I happen to think we should have more onshore wind turbines. I have been booed for saying this, but I think they are beautiful, and those of us who think they are a good thing need to speak up more and say that.

“After all, no one would now look at windmills and say they do not add something to the view.

“but they are the same technology, they were once new but they are very well liked, there is one in my constituency that is a big tourist attraction, technology from the 17th Century which is now very popular with visitors.

“we are talking about exactly the same thing. when I hear people say wind turbines are bad for scenic areas I just don’t agree, I think they are elegant and beautiful and a lot more people should be saying that.

“every time we put a wind turbine up, and a lot more of them need to go up in my opinion, we need to be saying to people these are not horrendous, we think they look nice and they have to accept that.”

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Berwick’s Conservative spokeswoman, is lending her support to those battling plans to build 16 turbines at Detchant, north of Belford.

Mrs Trevelyan said: “The industrial turbines proposed for construction on this unspoilt rural landscape are giant metal pieces of a factory.

“they bear no relation to house-sized windmills of the 17th Century.

“nor are they as efficient. if the Secretary of State is so keen to see more onshore wind turbine built on British soil perhaps he can encourage the investors looking to take advantage of Government subsidies to build them in his constituency.”

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