Skye Edge windfarm?

Skye Edge was mentioned on the front page of the Star this week as a possible location for a windfarm.It is certainly a very windy location, and I think the turbines would be a spectacular sign that Sheffield is becoming a green city. I certainly wont be taking the NIMBY view on this one- we need alternative renewable sources of energy and wind energy makes a great deal of sense for Sheffield. The arguments NIMBY protestors use against windfarms, such as noise and bird kill have no justification. Having said that, I am not giving the developers free reign to build all over Skye Edge! This is the best viewpoint of the city of Sheffield and it is a vital piece of open land for recreation. I hope a windfarm can be developed that will still allow access to the open space and viewpoints. And this land belongs to the people of Sheffield- I hope the people of Sheffield will profit from the use of the windfarm, not some rich utility company!

For a 360 degree tour of Skye Edge click here.

The windfarm would compliment the new sustainable housing that is planned for the site where the old flats have been demolished. See the council website for more details.

Affordable housing is vital

Today's news that public sector workers such as teachers, nurses, police and firefighters cannot afford to buy homes in seven out of 10 UK towns, underlines the Green Party policy of increasing the amount of affordable homes in new developments. There is a desperate shortage of affordable homes, yet most new developments are fancy apartments out of the price bracket of key workers and young people looking for their first home. Meanwhile in our ward it has just been announced that the land to be vacated by Castle College (on the right hand side as you go down Granville Road) is to become housing. The plans are for 177 townhouses and apartments. These will be built when the new college is finished. The buildings will be up to 3 and a half stories, and they will be aimed at families as well as single people. Work on the new southside campus starts this summer. There is no housing partner as yet.

I think it's really important that a good proportion of these new homes are affordable, and also that they meet the highest eco-standards. Where insulation standards are high the need for energy is low. Germany has set a target for all its existing homes to be zero energy "passive hause" homes by 2020-we should be following suit.