Turbine plans are backed by council
A cautious backing to plans to develop the wind farm at Carland Cross has been given by Cornwall County Council.
Scottish Power wants to replace 15 existing, 42-metre high turbines on the site near St Newlyn East with 10 more efficient, 100-metre turbines.
Cornwall County Council does not have the power to approve or reject the turbines.
However, though it raised concerns about the turbines’ height and impact on the area and local villages, its planning committee agreed last Thursday that the wind farm conforms to the county structure plan.
Protest group Residents Against Turbines (RATS) called a meeting to update residents on their campaign, before Carrick District Council’s planning committee is due to discuss the application on March 11.
RATS chairman Steve Bazeley said: “We have spoken to planning officers and are waiting to see the papers for the planning meeting and what officers recommend councillors to do.
“We were impressed that county councillors considered the proposal carefully and thoughtfully, and trust that district councillors will do the same.
“We are not a bunch of ‘NIMBYs’ who are only concerned about what happens in our back yard. We have tried to approach this from a factual rather than emotional point of view, because we have very serious concerns about its impact locally and nationally.
“From our research it’s clear that everyone is ducking the major issue. By 2020 it appears that we will have to rely on gas from Russia for 80% of all our energy supplies. This wind farm will not make much difference to the energy crisis, but it will to our lives.”
Campaigners say the wind farm on land owned by the Trewithen estate will be too big and dominate the local area. They are also concerned that the turbines will be spread across two sites, with additional buildings and access tracks.
But Scottish Power said the turbines have been in place since 1992 and need replacing, because it is getting difficult to get parts to maintain them.
In addition the company hopes the new two megawatt turbines will produce three times the amount of electricity generated from the current 400 kilowatt units.
Prospective parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems in Truro, Terrye Teverson, has added her name to an appeal for Carrick councillors to hold a public meeting.
25 February 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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