THERE are interesting parallels between two of the current hot topics for discussion in the Times letters section — namely wind turbines and new affordable housing.
We tend to think of housing which is affordable to buy, but a mortgage is much easier to pay over the years if the running costs of the house are very low.
One of your previous correspondents drew attention to the importance of effective home insulation and energy saving light bulbs to reduce the need for energy generation by wind turbines or by other means.
However, we are now in the 21st century so ought to be able to do even more to reduce our need for centralised energy generation, and the building of many new homes in West Devon during the next ten years might be a golden opportunity to take such action.
Houses can be designed to make maximum use of passive solar energy gain.
Solar water heating systems are much more cost-effective if installed during house construction rather than retro-fitting, photovoltaic roof tiles are increasingly used to generate electricity on-site and perhaps more homes could be fitted with their own small wind turbines.
Government funding is available to encourage the development and application of these technologies.
If we make our new-build homes as 'green' as possible we might not need the huge turbines.
Peter Donkin
9 Chestnut Close
Bishopsmead