September 25, 2007
England

Windfarm 'would be built on common land'

Plans to build 24 wind turbines almost as tall as Blackpool Tower on moorland will have to be given special permission from the Government, it has been revealed.

The project, designed for the moors between Hyndburn and Rossendale, would be built on common land.

And because it is common land there has to be special permission from the Government.

German firm EnergieKontor would also avoid paying any rent on the site if the plans are given the go-ahead.

The company is looking at a site on the Haslingden Moors, between Haslingden Road and Grane Road, near Oswaldtwistle and Haslingden.

A consultation period with residents has now finished and a planning application is now expected to be submitted to both Hyndburn Council and Rossendale Council for approval because the site is on the borough boundary.

EnergieKontor bosses believe that 10 turbines of up to 122 m to blade tip could be sensitively sited on Haslingden Moor and they are still continuing their investigations into the possibility of positioning turbines on Oswaldtwistle Moor.

Some 24 turbines could be built, each up to 130 metres high. Blackpool Tower is 158 metres.

Judith Cornfield from EnergieKontor said: “Our environmental investigations should be completed soon and we are expecting to hold a public exhibition where people will be able to see what the proposed wind farm will look like before the end of the year.

“A full planning application will be made to Hyndburn Borough Council and Rossendale Borough Council following the exhibition.” She said that if 10 turbines were built they would generate enough green electricity for 13,500 homes, a town twice the size of Haslingden.

By David Watkinson

Lancashire Telegraph

25 September 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/09/25/windfarm-would-be-built-on-common-land/