04/11/2011 Spotlight

A cloud over solar power - cuts in tariffs which will cost one housing

development dearly. The impact will be �1.3 million loss over five

years with the tariff changing. Good evening. We'll report from the

housing scheme which had been banking on solar power. Also

tonight, a potential headache for Prince Charles - how the humble

oyster could have far reaching consequences for the Duchy of

Cornwall. And demonstrating the height of a planned incinerator,

but this crane has done nothing to allay residents' fears. Now seeing

the crane, it's actually taller than even I imagined, and I am

The full impact of a sudden change in Government thinking over solar

power is now beginning to be felt in the region. One Cornish Housing

Association, which is part way through some major solar panel

installations, says the change will wipe more than a million pounds

from its profits. The Government wants to halve the income people

get for generating electricity and sending it back to the grid. Our

Business Correspondent, Neil Gallacher, reports.

One on top of a brand new building, solar panels not yet finished.

Walsh and housing have been shocked to learn they must finish the

installation in six weeks. -- Ocean housing. If they cannot, they would

lose money. Far worse is the impact on similar schemes. The loss there

would be higher. The impact on us will be �1.3 million loss of a 25

years. It stops any future project stone dead. That impact on jobs.

And the Co 2 emissions takes step backwards. They will not be cutting

jobs. But they would not be getting the deal that was offered. Now the

fledgling solar electricity industry has been thrown into

frantic activity, as installer has rushed to comply with the new

deadline. This industry has created a large number of jobs and the

South West. Many in this new industry accept that even at these

new subsidy levels, investors should be able to make a profit.

Will people feel confident about investing tens of thousands of

pounds, when the goal posts can be moved at such short notice?

The Government's policy over feed in tariffs will be examined in more

details on The Politics Show on Sunday. Our Political Editor,

Martyn Oates, is here now. How does the Government defended proposal to

bring the deadline forward? points to the fact that the budget

for this scheme is being doubled up at an enormous speed, much more

quickly than envisaged. It says in the consultation paper, it was

Warwick the consultation may make this worse. -- worried. If the

deadline had been further away, people might be rushing to get new

schemes in. It does accept some people may have difficulty meeting

the earlier deadline. But the MP for central Devon today said this

might be less of the problem. organisations and individuals will

be able to meet that deadline of 12th December. Provided before that

date... Even after 12th December, they will get the existing deal.

Some will struggle. That is why this is a consultation. People are

being encouraged to respond and contribute to the consultation.

There is something unusual about the consultation, which is making

people more unhappy. This proposed earlier deadline for applications

falls 11 days before the consultation finishes. That is 23rd

December. A lot more on Sunday. Meanwhile, one place that got its

solar panels in place in time for the higher tariff is the old Wheal

Jane tin mine near Truro. Next on its list is power from wind, water,

the earth and plant waste. Our Environment Correspondent, Adrian

Campbell, reports. Tin mining at Wheal Jane ended

years ago. But the disused mine workings provide an opportunity for

alternative engine at -- energy. This is where the dirty water is

processed to produce clean water which can be pumped back into the

river. The pressures are around 370 litres per second. That energy can

be harnessed for Hydro-Electric power. The Energy Park rushed to

get the maximum benefit from the tariff. It hopes its portfolio of

energy sources will provide power for more than 4,000 homes. The mine

was about 1,500 ft deep. It is now flooded. It is full of water that

is of a moderately warm temperature. The technology is now available to

recover that heat. Also, the water discharging has the potential to

generate power for the Hydro- Electric scheme. Then there is wind

energy. There are ambitious plans for a wind turbines to go here. It

would be 22 metres in height. believe it is an ideal site. It has

got a long industrial history. There are other renewable

technologies planned for the site. If not here, where? Is an unlikely

looking site for a sustainable energy park. But even the field

surrounding the park could be growing crops for fuel.

A river bank in Bridgwater has collapsed and homes have flooded as

heavy rain hit Somerset. It is Carnival Night in the town. More

than 100,000 people are there. Houses have been evacuated.

Emergency services are concerned about high tide tomorrow morning.

Seven hundred years of history have been torn up after a tribunal

ruling, which means that Prince Charles and the Duchy of Cornwall

will now, for the first time, have to disclose some details of their

business dealings. The landmark ruling has been made after local

people in a Cornish village went to the courts to get more information

about a controversial oyster farm on land owned by the Duchy. Eleanor

Parkinson reports. This is the oyster farm at the

centre of a legal battle. The tenant who runs the farm rents the

land and the river bed from the Duchy of Cornwall. Locals have

concerns about the environmental impact of the farm. They say they

have struggled to get the information they need from the

Duchy. How difficult was it to get information? We have had no co-

operation from the Duchy whatsoever. A complete blank. A complete

refusal to answer questions about the environment or any questions

put. The Duchy of Cornwall argued that as a private enterprise they

were not obliged to answer questions. One local took it

further. Michael Britten took the case to tribunal. The tribunal

ruled they should be given the information. I am very surprised.

When I set off on this three years ago, I hoped I would win. When

you're telling truth to power, he do not often win. That was

gobsmacked but delighted. The Duchy Harrad reviewing the tribunal's

conclusion, with the Duke took whether or not it will appeal the

decision. The duchy was established by King Edward and as one of the

largest and wealthiest in Britain. This tribunal ruling changes 700

years of history. It could have a huge impact on the the way Prince

Charles and his state run their business.

-- estate. Earlier I spoke to the BBC's Freedom of Information

specialist Martin Rosenbaum. I asked him what this would all mean

for the Duchy. What this means is that in future

the Duchy will have to respond to requests for environmental

information, not have freedom of information requests in general,

which is separate legislation. It will have to respond to

environmental requests. It may be information about the environmental

impacts of an oyster farm, but could be much wider than that. It

could go in two aspects of pollution, biological diversity etc.

This is quite a breakthrough? Certainly I am sure there are a lot

of people because of the extent of the Duchy's Land Holdings, and the

extent of the buildings and property, there will be quite a lot

of people who have concerns they want to raise, and a lot of

environmental factors could be involved. This is potentially quite

far reaching and a number of areas. What sort of questions will people

be asking? I think in terms of the biological diversity of activities

going on on Duchy property, as in this particular case it could be in

all the water ways, forests, the impact of buildings built on Duchy

land. All these are matters people may be concerned about. They may

simply want more information about. Until now they have not had a legal

right to get that information. Now they do. How has the Duchy been

able to get away with being so secretive Forssell long? What the

Duchy argued is that it is not a public authority in the Gulf terms.

It argued it was outside the environmental information terms.

Now we have had the ruling which says it does count has a public

body. It has a very unusual legal status going back hundreds of years.

That is why it was not initially clear whether it was a public

authority. The tribunal has now decided it is. On the other hand, I

expect the Duchy will probably appeal this decision, in which case

it will go to a higher court. It could be several months before we

actually have the definite resolution of this case. Residents

opposed to a plans for an incinerator say it'll have an even

greater impact than they originally feared. A 95 metre crane was placed

on the proposed site today to give planners and locals a chance to see

how high the development would be. As Scott Bingham reports, the move

did nothing to allay some people's concerns.

All eyes were turned Sky word today. The Plymouth housing estate borders

the site on the yard earmarked for the incinerator. It will be a

complete eyesore. All these people here, would not be able to see

anything. Nobody has been told. People around here Mac cannot see

it. I think the height is tremendous. The height of the crane,

and 95 metres, took many people by surprise. It represents the height

of the chimney stack. One of the major criticisms of today's

exercise is that it failed to show the scale of the structure. It is a

big building. It is 45 metres to the roof. It is 95 metres to the

top of the chimney. Some people's you will be altered considerably.

People like Stuart Wilson. His flat is less than 50 metres from the

site. He produced an image to show how his you would be affected. --

with you. This is not good to have in an amongst people. You're in

among the weakest and poorest people. They are being dumped on.

Plymouth City planners were not allowed to talk to us today. They

will consider the application at a meeting on December 22nd.

And our Inside Out programme will have more on the incinerator plans

on Monday evening at 7.30pm. We'll have details in Monday's Spotlight.

Time for the sport, and Dave's here with news of a South West teenager

who's raising a few eyebrows on the Exeter Chiefs' Sandy Park rugby

stadium has again been selected to host an international match.

England's second team - the Saxons - will meet Ireland on 28 January

next year. It's the second time Sandy Park has staged a Saxons'

game - the first was four years ago when they beat Italy 'A'. Meanwhile,

the Chiefs try to end a three match losing streak in the Premiership

when Gloucester visit East Devon tomorrow. One of the players that

came to the club and did not have a clue about kicking... He is good,

but you also need the other side. The top game in the Championship is

at Penzance on Sunday, when third- placed Cornish Pirates plan to beat

the team immediately above them, Rotherham Titans. Rotherham last

week caned leaders Bristol 44-6. With four home wins out of five,

Plymouth Albion hope to claim another victim in the form of

Bedford at Brickfields tomorrow. There's a rising star at Exeter -

City striker Daniel Nardiello can't stop scoring. He's found the target

five times in City's last three games to lift them out of League

One's danger area. Brent Pilnick has more.

He has been terrorising defences for the past couple of months.

Danielle Nardiello has helped Exeter City move off the bottom of

the table. It has been a good month. Scored plenty of goals, we are

winning games, I am delighted. It is nice the lad's are creating a

lot of chances. The other lads are pitching in. We are scoring plenty

of goals away from home. It is brilliant. All members of the squad

have contributed. Daniel has scored goals, but so have others. Others

have made saves and blocks and tackles. He is doing his job to the

best of his ability. Exeter host Carlisle on Saturday, Y Yeovil

travel to Chesterfield. Former Plymouth Argyle loamy Conor

Clifford makes his debut after joining from Chelsea. -- loan a

player. Plymouth Argyle face high- A Devon teenager is in line for a

�40,000 windfall to help her reach the 2016 Olympic Games. 14-year-old

Beth Worthington from Elburton has been nominated for the lucrative

prize after winning the British Taekwondo title three times.

The Korean martial art of Taekwondo means away all the fault. Beth

Worthington is a terrier on the map. She has an array of skills. Younger

brother Jack is the perfect sparring partner. He is the British

cadet champion. Beth has been selected as one of the final five

applicants in the ambition axe are words, a scheme which backs

talented youngsters in sport and other fields. It will help me to go

to Manchester and trained with the national team, and also go to more

competitions, which increases my chances of getting chosen for the

World Championships and maybe the Olympics one day. Beth impressed

the judges with her consistent success. She has been British

champion in three consecutive years. She is a world-class performer. We

have been taking students all round Europe this year and she has proved

she is world class. Potentially world champion or world medallist,

without a doubt. If she secures the funding, Rio de Janeiro's Sugarloaf

mountain and the 2016 Olympics could taste even sweeter. BBC local

radio will be across the weekend's sport, with commentary from Dick

Straughan on the Pirates against Rotherham this Sunday on BBC Radio

If you're a regular viewer of Spotlight, you'll probably know all

about 10-year-old Lydia Cross from North Devon. Lydia lost both her

legs to meningitis when she was just two years old, but she hasn't

let that stop her. No, in fact she's one of the most active and

high profile fund raisers for injured servicemen. Tomorrow, she

sets off on her latest mission, as our North Devon reporter Andrea

Ormsby has been finding out. A final training session for a

Lydia's latest fund-raising adventure. Tomorrow she joins two

police officers, one from Devon and Cornwall, one from Avon and

Somerset. They are cooling -- doing... Lydia and her dad will

keep them company for the first 30 miles. I am quite nervous but I am

looking forward to it. I think it will be good training. I am doing

30 miles tomorrow. Hopefully I will be doing the London Mini Marathon,

which is only three. It is to raise money for charity. Commander 999

are trying to raise money for the lads injured in Afghanistan and

Iraq. Having Lydia with us is a complete and opera inspiration.

Amazing. The charity is close to Lydia's heart. Her dad used to be a

commando with the Royal Logistics Corps and is now a policeman.

incredibly proud. She is just giving back to the guys who have

given so much to her in the past. They have always supported her and

been fantastic. She just looks at it as time to give something back.

It is hoped beyond will end in London in time for Remembrance Day.

Good luck. A group of young bell ringers from Plymouth have been

invited to ring in the start of next year's Olympic Games. The

event, All The Bells, will see bells being rung throughout the UK

on the first day of London 2012. John Danks has been to see the

This is Emmanuel Church in Plymouth. Things are about to get noisy. The

ages range from six years old to 28. Some of them stand on blocks to

keep their feet on the ground. Good practice for the Olympic Games next

year. The there is an event going on which involves All The Bells in

the country being wrong on 27th July for three minutes, as loudly

and as fast as they can. That is all bells. Church bells, doorbells,

handbells, dinner bells. Basically it is a rousing call to action for

everybody in the UK to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is

a chance for everybody to get involved and be part of musical

history. One fellow bell ringer's relative took part in the Olympic

torch relay before the last London Olympics. It came from my father

and low, one of the relay runners for the Olympics. -- father and

Lyle. He was selected to take part in the rear. This group should be

in top form and ready to ring for Britain by the time the Olympics

come round. The Cornwall Film Festival started today, and amongst

the films on show are two new full length features made entirely in

the county. The family drama, Happy Christmas, and the black comedy,

Weekend Retreat, were written, filmed, and edited in Cornwall.

David George has been watching them and meeting some of the people

involved. It is impressive. Your place? We

know the owner. Weekend Retreat, which stars some well-known

television actors, was filmed in Bodmin and edited in Truro. The

other new film from Cornwall is about a dysfunctional family trying

to get back together for Christmas. Happy Christmas. When we did my

previous film, we did have to go to London to do the post production.

This time, four years later, we have not had to go any further than

here. Film-making could be a viable industry here given more resources

and funding. We certainly have the artistry and the will. Cornwall's

new feature films will be previewed at the Film Festival at the New

You can do anything in Cornwall now. Absolutely. Now the weather.

A good weather for fireworks and bonfire display is this weekend. It

has finally come good, the weather. We have had some torrential

downpours in recent hours. Let's look at the general feel for the

weekend. Mainly dry, but also colder. Moving towards what we

should expect to see in November. Temperatures down on quite -- quite

a bit. You can see a large hole in the cloud to the West. That is a

week ridge of high pressure. It will move over us in the next 24

hours. Low pressure will move towards the Channel Islands

overnight. We are between weather systems. A lot of dry weather this

weekend. A keen breeze from the north-east. It will not feel very

warm. We will see quite a bit of clout from East. Of days we should

see dry weather with sunny spells. -- on both days. The really intense

downpours today have been almost following the M5 and the last four

hours. The brighter colours is where the wet weather was.

Thankfully that has moved towards the south of Wales. Beneath that,

there is dry weather. For the carnival itself, there should be

some dry weather. It may turn a little misty with fog patches later.

With temperatures tumbling away, we could see figures as low as five

degrees. Quite a nice end to the day here in Plymouth. We had some

pink sky as the sun set. Although there was quite a lot of cloud, it

does not look quite as threatening as that which we saw earlier in the

day. We should start to see some fairly low temperatures overnight.

The possibility of some of mist and fog. Tomorrow we will probably have

similar scenes in the morning. The mist and fog will clear.

Temperatures starting at five to six degrees. Gradually rising. Not

very warm. But Rhys well developed. It will be fresh by the end of the

afternoon. -- the breeze will develop. Fine for tomorrow

evening's bonfire displays. Rhys the on the Isles of Scilly. --

breezy. Five to six feet and choppy surfing conditions. The times of

Until the coastal waters forecast... If you're enjoying the Bonn