January 3, 2007
U.K.
U.K.
A Cumbrian MP wants windfarms in the county to be abandoned.
Penrith and the Border MP David Maclean says that the “government’s obsession” with turbines ahead of other forms of renewable energy is “leading to the desecration of the landscape in Cumbria”.
He believes that the existing turbines only make a tiny contribution to energy needs and has laid a motion in the House of Commons calling for a switch in energy focus.
Mr Maclean said biomass heating could reduce household carbon emissions by around three million tonnes ““ equivalent to taking 3.25 million cars off the roads.
He said: “I want the House to recognise the environmental and economic benefits of using farm and forestry waste as well as crops to produce energy and the opportunities that energy crops offer farmers and rural communities to rebuild rural economies in a sustainable manner.
“Steel wind turbines over 300ft high have no place in the landscape of the Lake District and the government should rebalance its renewables obligation.”
Power giant E.ON, which operates at least three windfarms on the coast around Workington, is looking to build the UK’s biggest biomass plant in Lockerbie, creating more than 300 jobs at the site and in forestry and farming.
There are already windfarms at Oldside and Siddick in Workington, Lowca, Flimby and Winscales in the west of the county as well as moves to build the country’s biggest off-shore wind farm in the Solway Firth.
A planning application has recently been submitted to Allerdale Council to build another seven at Winscales and three turbines have gone up at Bolton New Houses, despite local protests.
A public meeting will be held in Distington on Monday to gauge public opinion on plans to put five turbines at Pica.
Recently a planning inspector refused to allow two turbines to be built at Tallentire near Cockermouth because of the “unacceptable harm” they would do to the landscape and earlier this year, campaigners prevented 27 turbines being built at Whinash.
KEve@cngroup.co.uk
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/01/03/abandon-all-windfarm-plans-in-cumbria-mp/