The latest plans for expansion by Amazon may have a surprising impact on the ground. According to some sources, after the discovery of the plan, residents from an area near the Amazon distribution centre are seeking help to prevent the company from receiving permission to build its mega structure. As said by the company, the wind turbine is fundamental for the expansion plans by generating energy from a renewable source, supporting the operation of the distribution centre without the use of fossil fuels. The topic is causing commotion between Amazon and the residents.

Amazon’s plans may put in risk a village near its distribution centre

As said by some sources, Amazon recently applied for planning permission to install a 459ft wind turbine nest at its biggest storage and distribution centre in England. According to the company, the wind turbine is a necessity and will help the industrial site to support its operation without the use of fossil fuels. With the new turbine, the energy used by the site would be provided from the eolic park, helping to achieve the goals expected for a low-carbon industrial park.

But the residents of a nearby village have a different, and strong, opinion. Concerned, they fear that the new structure may cause problems to the landscape and some damage to their village, located in Bowburn, County Durham.

The official statement was made by the Tursdale Residents Association, which said that the turbine would “tower over” the landscape and may “erode” the village’s heritage. With this stance, the association claims that the permission for the construction should be denied.

They claim that a previous experience with Amazon was traumatic

According to the residents’ association, the village is known as a “rural hamlet” even though it is now described as “industrialised”. They also said that the city has been excluded from any “visual or environmental impact assessments” and declared that a previous experience with Amazon was traumatic.

“We are not confident that promises made now regarding this turbine will be honoured”.

Some sources said that other councils also objected to the proposal made by Amazon, and are afraid of the impacts caused by the new wind turbine, which follows the traditional size and design despite the existence of alternatives that are being tested for the same use.

The company ignored the complaints and filed the permission request

Besides the community claims and concerns, Amazon said that before the proposal, a public consultation was conducted. According to the company, in July 2024, leaflets were delivered to 5,251 homes. The material, according to the company, also includes an email or a telephone number for anyone who wants to contact the company with any queries.

Also, an Amazon spokesperson said that the impacts of the proposal were considered before the request. As the statement, they affirmed to have studied the possible impacts of the wind turbine, and when evaluated together with the gains of the deployment, they are categorized as “minimal”.

According to Amazon, the benefits of the deployment outweigh the fears

In a statement made by a spokesperson, Amazon said that the proposed development considered as minimal the impacts caused by the new wind turbine. Also, any major impact was tracked to prevent it from occurring. The statement was not well received by the residents, who are still asking for the planning to be rejected. On the other hand, Amazon believes that the deployment of a wind turbine should be beneficial for both. At the same time, some countries are focusing their efforts on wind energy research, as they believe that this alternative could be the basis for a green future.