I WAS interested, but certainly not reassured, to read how Eneco’s proposed wind farm “will be moved further out to sea and have fewer turbines” so it would “reduce the farm’s visual impact”.

Yet again it seems that Eneco’s marketing department is treating us – the people whose community and economy are being put at risk to line the Dutch company’s pockets – like fools.

To see how much “the changes demonstrate that Navitus Bay is fully engaged in the debate and willing to listen” (their words) it is only really necessary to look at Eneco’s own documents from the last couple of years: They tell us the generated capacity is being “reduced from 1200MW to 1100MW”. Until now, every document they have produced has included the range 900MW to 1200MW. So actually they are offering no reduction. They are sticking to the higher end of the range.

We are told the number of turbines is being “reduced from 333 to 218”. In 2009 they told us they expected 180, while their 2010 “The Eneco Wind Park” document gives the number as between 150 and 240. So again the higher end of their own range. Maybe it’s that they will be using shorter turbines? After all they tell us they will be “reducing the maximum height from 210m to 200m”. Eneco’s November 2011 “Project Envelope” anticipated turbines 158m tall, while their 2011 “Statement of Community Consultation Information” noted that the largest turbines currently available are 187m tall. So no reduction there either.

Lastly, the distance from shore. In 2009 Eneco noted that the whole area available meant that the turbines might be between 10.2 and 33 miles from Bournemouth.

In 2010 they came up with their “preferred” option – between 10.2 and 24 miles from Bournemouth. Now they are “further away”(?!) at 12 miles – much, much closer than would be allowed in their own country.

With wind power being so notoriously unreliable, one thing seems clear: Eneco’s publicity department will continue to spin far faster and far more regularly than the turbines they plan to impose on us.

CLLR MIKE GREENE, Central Ward, Bournemouth