'Too many windfarms' fear (From This Is Lancashire)

'Too many windfarms' fear

2:01pm Wednesday 31st October 2007

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

ROSSENDALE'S rural location could see it "surrounded" by wind farms in the future, a councillor has warned.

Coun Alyson Barnes spoke out about her fears after Lancashire County Council's landscape adviser said a proposed wind farm on Reaps Moss, Britannia, near Bacup, was acceptable.

JOIN THE DEBATE

Are you concerned about the number of wind farms? Add your comments below.

Other wind farm plans in the valley include German-based EnergieKontor UK Ltd, which wants to build 24 giant turbines on common land between Haslingden and Oswaldtwistle.

And 26 turbines are under construction on moorland between Edenfield and Whitworth, as part of a £52million scheme.

Coun Barnes said that councils needed to prevent too many wind farms being built in the valley.

She said: "It is very disappointing as we were relying on the county council to put an argument forward to say the wind farm wasn't a good idea.

"Clearly we all support renewable energy but, because of Rossendale's geography, if we are not careful we could end up being surrounded by them. We will be able to see this one from the Grane. It is literally around every corner and I object to having a huge allocation of the region's wind farms in Rossendale.

"It's Government policy and I would support it generally, but not all these in one area." County council landscape adviser Stephen Brereton assessed the visual impact and impact of the three x 125m-high turbines.

He said: "The proposed wind farm at Reaps Moss would, in my opinion, be acceptable in landscape and visual terms."

Councillors on the planning committee will decide at a later date whether to approve the scheme.

Coronation Power is the company behind the wind farm, which would generate 9MW of sustainable energy, powering 7.5per cent of Rossendale's energy.

The company says that building the wind farm would contribute to local, national and international targets of generating renewable energy to tackle the harmful effects of climate change.

Coronation Power's officer Danielle Milne said: "There seems to be every reason to approve this wind farm proposal. It is an exceptional scheme which meets stringent sustainable development requirements and rigorous environmental impact laws."

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)