September 13, 2006
U.K.
U.K.
Campaigner David Bellamy has slammed a planned wind turbines site as “an unnecessary high-rise factory”.
TV botanist David, a leading environmentalist, was hitting out over the proposed turbine site across the wild moorland skyline between Rochdale and Rossendale.
The veteran campaigner led scores of walkers, determined to show their determination to fight a 26-turbine windfarm on Scout Moor.
And he aimed to make sure the public know the matter is still high on his agenda three years after the protests began. Walkers marked the third anniversary of the battle against the proposed erection of what the protesters refer to as “26 Blackpool Towers” on the rugged moorland.
The two-hour protest walk, led by the Friends of Scout Moor, began at the Owd Betts pub, close to the proposed windfarm and ended at the top of nearby Knowl Hill.
Prof Bellamy was last in Rochdale in November 2003 when he led a march to the top of the town’s highest hill to show his opposition to the windfarm.
He said on his latest visit: “Wind turbines on land are woefully inefficient and barely run at 25 per cent efficiency at the best of times.”
Lunacy
“Meanwhile, conventional coal or gas-fired power stations have to be kept running to supply electricity when the wind turbines cannot run, which is much of the time. It is sheer lunacy.”
He said the alternative was tidal power, generated from turbines beneath the sea’s surface.
Prof Bellamy said: “They can work nearly 24 hours a day and on the west coast of Britain, with its vast tidal ranges, we could generate enough electricity to more than supply this country, and probably most of Western Europe too.
“Wind turbines on land are just not needed and cause huge environmental damage to places like Scout Moor.”
A public inquiry has given the go-ahead for the developers, Peel Holdings, to erect the turbines.
A planned judicial review challenge by local solicitor Edward Smethurst over common rights to the land has had to be withdrawn. A change in the law and the risk of massive costs being awarded against the objectors forced a change of plan.
But the Friends of Scout and Knowl Moor aim to continue their fight, beginning with their high-profile symbolic anniversary walk “to highlight the proposed desecration of this moor land amenity site.”
Protest leader Ann Metcalfe said after the walk: “It was a great turn-out of like-minded people who value these moors as an accessible, free and open space situated so close and in dramatic contrast to our expanding towns.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/09/13/david-blasts-the-wind-farm/