CITY OF DREAMING SPIRES

What about this then?

Oxford City Council has announced that it is the first city in England and Wales to commit to having a commercial-scale windfarm on council land.

The site has been earmarked, a test mast will soon be up, and the council hopes to submit a planning application by 2011. They're looking at a generating capacity of between two and three megawatts.

This is terrific news.

There will soon be windfarms in all sorts of areas, all around the country. The nookie brigade likes to imagine that it is being picked on, as renewable energy companies eye up rural areas for windfarm development. But now a city - and an ancient one at that, known for the beauty of its colleges - has taken the initiative, proving that wind energy is pretty well universal and that no one has the right to 'opt out' of a green future.

It doesn't affect the Lenchwick Windfarm decision. Just because someone else, somewhere else, has decided to go for a windfarm doesn't mean that our lousy nimbies can argue that we don't need one around here.

But it does deal a massive blow to their nonsensical lies about windfarms.

While our local nookies are living in the past, desperately trying to preserve their weird dream of an empty and inactive picture-postcard landscape, those who do have their fingers on the pulse are moving forwards towards a more clean and efficient future. And while our nookies exhibit their selfishness, ignorance and arrogance, more responsible individuals are taking the necessary steps to ensure that our children will be provided for and the planet might stand a chance.

As Councillor John Tanner of Oxford says, 'Wind turbines are a beautiful way of helping to tackle climate change with renewable energy.

'Wind turbines are quiet, graceful and not a threat to wildlife.'

Isn't it nice to hear some sense talked for a change?

Maybe we should be putting that up on placards around the place:

Wind turbines are quiet, graceful and not a threat to wildlife!

Thanks, Councillor Tanner. And thanks to the City of Oxford for making such an intelligent decision.