Storm blowing over wind farm
Campaigners have formed an action group to oppose plans for a wind farm on the outskirts of Micklefield.
The proposal by Banks Development for land between Micklefield and Hook Moor has been greeted with dismay by nearby residentswho claim that it will be seen for miles around.
More than 100 people attended a special meeting of the parish council and as a result they have formed the Hook Moor Wind
Farm Action Group.
Chairman Jeremy Rains said: “We are not necessarily antiwind energy, but that this area is not a suitable site to build a wind farm.
“Banks are proposing between five and eight turbines which will be 125m high overall – that’s 406 feet and higher than York
Minster – which will completely dominate the landscape.”
The wind farm is thought to be the first scheme of its type proposed for the Leeds metropolitan area.
Banks claim it would generate enough energy for up to 10,000 homes without the production of environmentally-damaging greenhouse gases.
The location earmarked for the wind farm lies in green belt land off the Great North Road to the east of the junction of the M1 and A1 (M) and south of the B11217 Collier Lane. It is also less than two kilometres from Lotherton Hall.
The company has nowsubmitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to erect a 60m-high wind test mast for a temporary period of three years on part of the site near to Micklefield.
The group is urging residents to send in their objections and also people living in surrounding areas such as Aberford and Garforth whowill be affected by the visual impact of the turbines.
Objections should be sent to the Development Department, The Leonardo Building, 2, Rossington Street, Leeds LS2 8HD by August 13. The planning application number is P/07/04334/FU/MIN.
* The group has launched its own website at www.hookmoorwindfarm.org.uk
By Sheila Holmes
8 August 2007
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
Some possibly related stories:
- Garforth wind farm plan: 1,000 objections lodged
- Garforth wind farm plan: Developers deny misleading people
- Garforth wind farm plan: Phase one set for approval
- Garforth: Are wind farm plans to be blown away?
- Micklefield wind farm plans fail after RAF objections
- Anxious wait in fight against Leeds wind farm
The copyright of this article is owned by the author or publisher indicated. Its availability here constitutes a "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law as well as in similar "fair dealing" exceptions of the copyright laws of other nations, as part of National Wind Watch's effort to advance understanding of the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development. For more information, click here.
