MONEY TALKS

"What is a cynic?" wrote Oscar Wilde. His answer - "A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."

It is typical of the cynicism of the nimby campaign in the Lenches that they would assume that someone is paying for this blog.

They simply cannot understand that principles come before cash - that's just not the world they live in.

Money is what lies behind the nimby nonsense and the utterly dishonest VVASP campaign. Money invested in buying and developing properties in the area - although in no way threatened by the proposed windfarm - is what has inspired and governed the anti-windfarm waffle. Money, and a basic misunderstanding of what the windfarm would involve, has led to the barrage of lies, silly rumours and monstrous scare stories peddled by irresponsible and self-serving protesters.

Councillors around the country have noted a gradual increase in complaints and objections to perfectly reasonable, beneficial developments. These complaints are almost universally fatuous in nature. Basically, wherever it is, and regardless of what is proposed, a small, misguided and fundamentally selfish minority decide that they're going to object.

To put it simply, they just don't want it (whatever it is). They then set about conjuring up some supposedly justifiable reasons for objecting.

In the Lenches, this took the form of regaling the locals with all that total claptrap about windfarm noise, infrasound, threats to wildlife and - the most irresponsible and maniacal claim of all - that the windfarm would harm house prices.

All lies. All nonsense. All designed to make the nimby's opposition to a sound development seem reasonable.

Well, now, of course, the nimbies have settled on their argument. A few people will be living over half a kilometre from the turbines (that's well over a quarter of a mile away). So the nimbies are now pretending that their irrational opposition to the windfarm has nothing to do with self-interest, unscientific stupidity and the strange belief that if you don't want something beneficial nearby you can stop it happening, and everything to do with the plight of a tiny number of people who still won't be inconvenienced by the windfarm.

The "they're too close" argument is every bit as bogus as all the other crap spouted by VVASP - although Peter Luff has weighed in on this one, proving that the Tories don't actually have a proper policy on renewable energy and still tend to prize private wealth and selfishness above the greater good.

Meanwhile, the government is moving to alter the planning laws. The reasons for this are simple: too many necessary developments are being held up by selfish nimbies lying their heads off and objecting to they know not what. Such depressingly predictable nimby behaviour is bad for Britain, bad for the environment and very, very bad for the future.

When you've got so many dishonest, disingenuous campaigns around the country, getting in the way of progress and the national benefit because a few people don't like the idea, you're in trouble.

Lying about these things (as VVASP have consistently done, and continue to do) doesn't help. It clouds the issue, and promotes mindless opposition to vital schemes.

And, let's face it - if the nimbies have been so prepared to lie about noise, house prices and all the rest, why shouldn't they lie now about their fake concern for a few dwellers in Sheriffs Lench?

The kind of person who assumes that anyone in favour of the Lenchwick Windfarm (and totally opposed to the crazy abuses perpetrated by the frauds of VVASP) is in hock to ScottishPower Renewables is obviously the sort of person who can't be relied upon to present a balanced argument about anything at all. They have simply demonstrated how severely limited their understanding of important issues can be.

So the lies continue, altering their nature to appear to be based on good neighbourliness and genuine concern. But a lie is always a lie, and a cynic remains a cynic.

And the UK is drowning under the deadweight of selfish nimby nonsense.

But hopefully, not for much longer.

(Don't forget to get your letter of support for the windfarm ready - see the post below this one.)