Bournemouth Liberal Democrats

Debunking Wind Farm Scaremongering

Sent: 15 February 2012 16:40

To: Mark Smith

Cc: Councillor Carol Ainge

Subject: Windfarm and 500 jobs

Mark Smith, Head of Tourism

Dear Mark.

I have seen a report which has the following excerpt:-

"A new report reveals the scale of controversial proposals for a wind farm 10.2 miles from Bournemouth Pier.

It comes just days after warnings that the Navitus Bay Wind Park could affect visitor numbers and cost 500 jobs in Dorset's tourism sector.

Bournemouth's head of tourism Mark Smith said research in Scotland had shown that two to three per cent of visitors would not return to an area with a wind farm." ['Poole Bay wind farm could cost 500 jobs', Daily Echo, 6th February 2012]

Can you please give me a copy of this report and explain to me how you think this proposed windfarm could cost 500 jobs in Bournemouth.

Best wishes, Roger

Cllr Roger West

Liberal Democrat

From: Jenny Warwick

Sent: 17 February 2012 10:28

To: Councillor Roger West

Subject: FW: Windfarm and 500 jobs

Dear Councillor West,

Please find attached a copy of the report 'The Economic Impact of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism'

The 500 jobs lost is a conservative estimate of the impact using a potential reduction of just 2.5% of an industry that for Dorset alone is responsible for over 20,000 jobs. The potential income loss amounts to more than £20million p.a. Over the expected 25 life of the project this would be a cost of £1/2billion to the local economy. These figures do not include Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The Scottish survey makes it clear that, whilst the majority of people would not be affected, there is a small (in percentage terms) but significant (in volume and value) deterrent effect on visitors.

The importance of the natural coastline and the appeal of the bay are key factors in choosing a holiday in the area. This makes Bournemouth quite different to other locations such as Great Yarmouth and Blackpool. We also have to be aware that the Blackpool turbines have been located twice the distance from shore and are smaller than those proposed for the Navitus Bay electricity generation plant."

Kind regards, Mark

Mark Smith

Director of Tourism & Corporate Communications

Bournemouth Borough Council

What the Study actually says:

Click here to Download the Study

"5. Effect of Wind Farms on Visitor Intentions to Return

The survey of visitor intentions at the four case study areas also sought to assess the likelihood of returning to the area and to Scotland in the face of further development. As expected the impact with respect to Scotland is far lower reflecting the substitution that will occur as tourists move to less affected areas. Normally three return visit likelihoods were required from respondents based on three different visual situations:

1. Having actually seen the windfarm;
2. Having been shown a photo-montage of the local landscape before and after the creation of the existing windfarm;
3. Having been shown a photo-montage of the local landscape illustrating the existing windfarm and how the landscape would look if the windfarm was extended by 40%-50%

Under all circumstances, the vast majority (93-99%) of those who had seen a wind farm suggested that the experience would not have any effect. Indeed there were some tourists for whom the experience increased the likelihood of return rather than decreasing it. The assessed change in likelihood combines both decreases (negative impacts) and increases (positive impacts) In the second case (no farm to current levels) the net result of these changes in intentions at both the area level and nationally is relatively small, and in almost all cases is not significantly different from zero in a statistical sense. However when the farm was extended respondents became significantly more negative. The extended development scenario [the third scenario] at the area level shows a small but statistically significant (at the 10% level) fall of 2.5% in the likelihood of revisiting an area and just under 0.5% fall in the likelihood of revisiting Scotland."[1]

Findings of the Study:

The findings in the four case-study areas included:

• In total, three-quarters of people felt wind farms had a positive or neutral impact on the landscape, of which:
  • 39 per cent of respondents were positive about wind farms,
  • 36 per cent had no opinion either way, and
  • 25 per cent were negative (including 10 per cent who were strongly negative).
• Compared to 10 other structures in the landscape (including pylons, mobile phone masts and fish farms) wind farms received the joint lowest number of "no impact" responses. It appears that opinions on wind farms amongst tourists are heavily divided relative to other structures with the majority of respondents (64%) offering either pro- or anti- wind farm views.
• The level of negative response to wind farms (25%) was the fourth highest of the 11 structures in the landscape upon which opinion was sought, behind pylons (49%), mobile telephone masts (36%) and power stations (26%)
• Overseas visitors seemed to be more positive about wind farms than domestic tourists.
• Interestingly, the proportion of respondents whose main activity was indicated as walking/hillwalking (where the landscape change is a major part of the experience) and who indicated a negative attitude to wind farms (19%) was lower than the overall figure of 25 per cent; and likewise they were also more positive (45 per cent versus 39 per cent).
• 68 per cent of tourists were positive about the statement "A well sited wind farm does not ruin the landscape" with a further 12% neutral
• 48 percent of visitors were positive about the statement "I like to see wind farms" with a further 24% neutral.
  • Importantly, respondents that had seen a wind farm were less hostile than those who had not.
  • The results confirm that a significant minority (20% to 30%) of tourists preferred landscapes without wind farms. However of these only a very small group were so offended that they changed their intentions about revisiting Scotland.The internet survey of current and potential tourists (600 based in the UK, 100 from the US) also discovered that:
  • The perception is that turbines are as prevalent in areas designated as areas of natural beauty as they are in other non-scenic parts of the country.
  • Tourists are generally unaware of attempts to keep wind farms away from the most scenic areas.
  • The youngest respondents (ages 16-25) in general appear to think that wind farms have less of an impact than potential visitors in other age ranges.
  • A much higher percentage of respondents indicated that they would not visit an area if a wind farm was constructed (17.8%) than was found in the intercept survey. It should be noted that this result is less robust The economic impact of Wind farms on Scottish tourism 9 than the estimate provided by the intercept survey and should therefore be treated with caution, as, unlike the intercept study, respondents were not made aware of what constituted the "local area". However, the result is indicative of the level of negative feeling some people have towards wind farms.
  • As in the intercept survey, wind farms appeared to be more favoured by foreign tourists compared to UK visitors.
    • Most individuals appear to prefer a landscape from the hotel bedroom without a wind farm (63%) but there is also a substantial proportion that is neutral (28%) and a few who positively like wind farms (9%). The size of the negative reaction is in marked contrast to the intercept survey result. It is believed that this reflects the difference between a transitory view when moving on a road, and a static longer lasting view from a hotel bedroom. For example seeing the wind farm at the Braes of Doune when heading north on the A9 generates some interest, even excitement, for a short (1 minute) period. Most people however, appear to believe that, from the hotel bedroom, it is better to face an open hillside, rather than a wind farm.
    • There appears to be a diminishing marginal loss of value associated with increasing size of wind farms. In effect, it appears that once there has been an intrusion into the scenery, the effect on the value of the landscape of expanding the size is relatively small.

Further Studies on the Impact of Wind Farms On Tourism