Lady Natalie Milbank's Wind Turbine U-Turn Sparks Local Revolt
Lady Natalie Milbank, once admired for her elegance and intellect, now finds herself at the centre of a growing storm in North Yorkshire. The 47-year-old, along with her husband Sir Edward Milbank, 52, faces fierce opposition from locals over plans to install 20 massive wind turbines on their Barningham Estate.
The Controversial Development Plans
The proposed development would see turbines standing over 650 feet tall erected on pristine moorland straddling the North Yorkshire and County Durham border. Much of this land forms part of Sir Edward's 7,000-acre estate, with Norwegian company Fred Olsen leading the installation plans.
Local residents have expressed outrage at what one described as 'criminal desecration' of the landscape. Their anger has reached boiling point following the discovery of Lady Natalie's previous stance on wind energy developments.
Revealing Past Opposition
In 2015, Lady Natalie voiced strong objections to a proposal for a single 120-foot wind turbine on a smallholding. She warned that the impact would be 'entirely inappropriate' given village conservation areas, citing nearby 17th-century buildings and popular walking routes.
'The aesthetic impact in the area would be huge,' she stated at the time. 'Somebody is trying to block the view for everyone. It's unfathomable that it has got this far.'
Barningham Parish Council supported her position, describing the single turbine as 'an alien and intrusive form of development' that would damage the landscape's beauty. The plans were subsequently rejected.
Accusations of Hypocrisy
Local critics now accuse Lady Natalie of complete hypocrisy for supporting twenty turbines, each more than four times taller than the single turbine she previously opposed. One resident commented: 'It's obvious money is the only thing that really matters to the Milbanks.'
The revelation that landowners will receive substantial payments from Fred Olsen for hosting the turbines has further fueled accusations of financial motivation overriding environmental concerns.
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Lady Natalie and Sir Edward Milbank have declined to comment on the wind turbine controversy as local opposition continues to mount against the proposed development.
