'Too many windfarms' fear for Rossendale
Rossendale’s rural location could see it “surrounded” by windfarms in the future, according to a councillor.
Coun Alyson Barnes spoke out about her fears after Lancashire County Council’s landscape advisor said a proposed windfarm on Reaps Moss, Britannia, near Bacup, was acceptable.
Other windfarm 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 contruction on moorland between Edenfield and Whitworth as part of a £52million scheme.
Coun Barnes said that councils needed to prevent too many windfarms 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 windfarm 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 the a huge allocation of the region’s windfarms in Rossendale.
“It’s Government policy and I would support it generally but not all these in one area.”
County council landscape advisor Stephen Brereton assessed the visual impact and impact to the landscape 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 7.5 per cent of Rossendale’s energy.
The company says that building the wind farms 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.”
By Helen Korn
31 October 2007
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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