The Lake District is a national treasure. This compact, captivating region is like no other area in this country and stands alongside Buckingham Palace, Hadrian’s Wall, the Houses of Parliament and the traditional village green as an iconic emblem of England.
There would be no danger of a 335ft windmill being built on a village green in Her Majesty’s back yard, next to some Roman remains or by the seat of democracy – so why on earth plant nine of the monstrosities at the foot of Blencathra? It is one of Cumbria’s best-known and loved views enjoyed by all those who travel along the A66 into the North Lakes.
Tourism is vital to Cumbria and millions of people travel from around the world to enjoy our pristine countryside, not stare at a growth of propellers.
As far as we know, there are no holiday brochures offering package tours to windfarms, nor are there likely to be.
Our hills may have become scarred with the marks made by decades of walking boots. But there is a world of difference between incidental damage caused by people wanting to enjoy and explore the beauty of the area, and intentional industrial disfigurement.
We need to increase and improve our sources of renewable energy and there are places where windfarms make sense.
But this isn’t one of them, and the west of the county has enough of the blighting blades.
1 November 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/11/01/no-place-for-a-windfarm/