At a public inquiry about a wind farm recently, one of the objections raised was that it could have an impact on the health of people with autism and asperger's syndrome.
This is not without relevance. Flicker viewing from some angles and the noise produced by the turbines could affect people on the spectrum.
At the same time I wonder whether autism is being put up as spurious evidence against wind-farms whereby the major needs of people on the spectrum are not being adequately addressed. We are important when it suits some-one else.
This could apply in other contexts: new airport runways, high speed railways, large transpotrtantion centres working through the night, high voltage pylon routes, entertainment complexes using laser shows in the open, etc.
Therefore there is a real question here. What kinds of development could make life difficult for people on the spectrum?
But equally are there contexts where using people on the spectrum to prove arguments against development is an abuse of pepople with autism.
Any strong views or opinions?