Wind up over turbines plan
Councillors have got the wind up over plans for a renewable energy centre with three 100m high turbines next to a Castle Morpeth village.
UK Coal has applied to redevelop disused mining land outside Lynemouth into a new windfarm designed to generate power for the national grid.
The application, from Harwood Power Ltd, the coal giant’s green energy arm, has been lodged with the borough council.
But the local parish council has already lodged a formal objection.
Chairman Cath Davidson said: “We’re trying to regenerate Lynemouth but this would do nothing for that.
“We want developments that will either improve the look of the place or create work ““ this does neither.
“We have the worst of both worlds with this plan ““ no jobs and another industrial eyesore.
“This will stifle regeneration. If this goes through.”
Lynemouth has been besieged by windfarm bids over the past year. Aluminium giant Alcan and energy firm ScottishPower are hoping to erect 16 turbines over 120 metres tall on land west of its smelter.
An application to the council was revoked earlier this year, but a new one is expected soon.
Councillors in Lynemouth are so concerned with the impending march of the turbines that they have visited windfarm sites at Blacklaw in Scotland for a fact finding mission.
“They have around 50 there, but they’re in the middle of nowhere,” said Coun Davidson.
“We were hoping to visit somewhere with turbines as close to the village centre as the ones planned for Lynemouth, but it seems there isn’t anywhere.
“The nearest one at Lynemouth will be about 200 yards from somebody’s house. That has not been allowed to happen anywhere else.”
The application will go before Castle Morpeth Council’s planning committee within the next few months.
If approved, the turbines will be set up to the north of Lynemouth Power Station.
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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