April 27, 2007
U.K.
U.K.
Plans to build a seven-turbine wind farm near Workington should be rejected, says the county council.
Winscales Moor Windfarm Ltd has applied to Allerdale council to erect the 81-metre high turbines at Benedict Plantation, Winscales.
But the county council has objected claiming the scheme will affect the landscape’s character and that there would be too many in the area.
A report says that the land is suitable for up to nine turbines but there are already 11 turbines on a site next to the proposed location.
If the scheme is approved there would be 18 masts, taking the number over what is recommended.
A report by the county council’s head of environment Shaun Gorman will be put before its development control and regulation committee panel on Monday.
The windfarm company says the turbines would generate electricity for 25 years producing sufficient electricity to meet the demands of more than 4,000 households.
Both the county and Allerdale councils have approved the rough plans for the wind farm.
Allerdale – which will make the final decision on the application – has received 70 letters of support and 15 letters of objection.
Winscales Moor Windfarm Ltd has said that the wind farm would be visible from three kilometres away.
It would be possible to see it from various locations within Workington as well as from the edges of Great Clifton, Seaton and Camerton.
Mr Gorman says: “In my opinion, the scheme will be visible from a range of areas within 3 to 5 km of the site. “Although many of these views are already characterised by existing turbines the scale and extent of the turbines seen from these views will increase. The proposal will significantly alter such views.”
There are 12 wind farms in Allerdale, two under construction and one with planning consent.
The tallest wind turbines are at Workington’s Voridian plant. They are 108 metres high and can be seen from 4km away.
At Wharrels Hill, near Bothel, eight, 77 metre tall turbines can be seen from 16kms. The 11 turbines that are currently at Winscales are 63 metres high and can be seen from 0.5km while the nine at Oldside are 61 metres high and can be seen from a distance of 4km.
The 81-metre turbines planned for Fairfield Farm, Pica, will be seen from 7km while the wind farm at Lowca has seven turbines 81 metres high and these can be seen from 6.5km. The turbines at Siddick are 71m high can be seen from 4.5km.
* At Monday’s meeting in Kendal, the development committee will also consider a plan for four wind turbines at Parkhead Farm, Silloth.
27 April 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/04/27/countys-no-to-windfarm/