Fighting windmills in the backyard: emotions run high

Farmer Olga would like to contribute ideas about the way in which windmills are placed in the backyard of her farm in Geffen. Hanneke van den Berg is chairman of the action group Preservation Lithse Polder and thinks it is terrible what is about to happen. Emotions ran high during a residents’ evening in Geffen about the arrival of the windmills.

Written by

Megan Hanegraaf

The municipalities of Oss and Den Bosch want De Lithse Polder to change into the Sustainable Polder. 16 windmills will be built on the Bossche side. In Oss it is only known how much energy has to be generated. The number of wind turbines will depend on how big they get. Next year, the municipal councils will choose one preferred variant.

Residents will have the opportunity to share their ideas, wishes and concerns in the coming weeks. And there are plenty. Emotions run high during the residents’ evening in Geffen.

“The farmers are often seen as money-gatherers when it comes to windmills.”

“That we can think along is very nice, but I first have to see whether they really listen to us,” says farmer Olga. She lives and works with her husband on a farm in Geffen.

“Several farmers around the Sustainable Polder were once approached by a project developer with the request to place a windmill on their land. We didn’t like that at first.” Because the windmills will come, according to the farmers, they have formed the Windmill collective Oss-Den Bosch together.

“Then we better think about how they will get there. The farmers are often seen as money-lenders when it comes to windmills, but I think it’s important that I can continue to live, work and live in the polder despite a windmill in my backyard.”

“Politicians act as if this is an opportunity that we can be proud of.”

Hanneke van den Berg, chairman of the action group Preservation Lithse Polder, sees nothing in the plans at all. “Politicians act like this is an opportunity we can be proud of, but we think it’s terrible. This will be one of the largest wind farms in the Netherlands.”

“If Oss opts for the largest wind turbines, there should already be nine or ten. If they opt for smaller windmills, there will only be more. We want politicians to say honestly that some huge monsters are coming.”

Hanneke is building a house in Lithoijen, on the edge of the Sustainable Polder. She is especially concerned about the health risks. “More and more studies show that low-frequency noise from wind turbines is really harmful to your health. But nobody takes that into account.”

Olga also sees the health risks. “You don’t know what the long-term effects are. But there are all standards and rules for that, so that will probably be fine. We’ve had a high-voltage pylon in our backyard for thirty years and it doesn’t bother us.”

“I hope the city councils will say no to the windmills after all.”

During the residents’ evenings, Hanneke hands out participation forms to her neighbors. “We want the municipal councils to take the environmental and health consequences into account,” says the chairman of the action group. “I hope the city councils will say no to windmills after all.”

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