Wind farm plan sparks hate mail

The Wellow project would consist of seven large turbines

Landowners on the Isle of Wight have been receiving anonymous hate mail after agreeing to allow a wind farm to be built on their property.

The company behind the project says the abuse has been getting worse, and the landowners chose to go public after their four-year-old son was targeted.

He has been ostracised at school and was victimised in sections of the latest letter sent to the Wellow farm.

His parents have called for their opponents to confront them openly.

Opponents of our view, if they wish to express their opposition to us, should at least have the courage to sign their letters instead of cowering behind anonymity Landowner's statement

The proposed £14m project will see seven turbines generating enough power to supply 12,700 homes - a quarter of the island's households.

Critics of the plan say the development is too large and will dominate the landscape.

Herbert Lindlahr, senior development manager at the Bournemouth-based energy company Your Energy said, "I am incensed by this hate mail campaign, it is like something from the Dark Ages.

"It's outrageous in the first instance but then to include a 4-year-old boy in the campaign is disgusting."

'Right decision'

The boy's parents, who did not wish to be named, said they respected people's right to disagree with their decision but that they should control their emotions.

"As things stand in 2004, wind power seems to us the best available source of renewable energy.

"It is a decision made without reference to our son, but we have confidence that in twenty years time he will share our view that our small contribution to the fight against global warming was the right decision for his future and the futures of his following generations.

"Opponents of our view, if they wish to express their opposition to us, should at least have the courage to sign their letters instead of cowering behind anonymity."

The government has set a target of 20% of the UK's power being produced through renewable energy by 2020.