May 16, 2008
England
England
Plans to install wind turbines on top of a Leyland supermarket have been approved despite the opposition of conservationists.
Supermarket giant Tesco wants to erect six environmentally-friendly generators on top of its Extra store on Towngate.
The electricity generated will be used to power tills, lights and security systems, cutting its carbon footprint in the process.
Each turbine is expected to last around 15 years. A similar scheme is already in place at the company’s branch in Bury.
But the store lies next to the Leyland Cross Conservation Area, housing some of the town’s most historic buildings.
Milly Tyson, secretary of the Preston and South Ribble Civic Trust, said the group had “serious concerns” about the application.
She told the Evening Post: “These turbines are going up on a site next to a conservation area and they are very unsightly.
“They could also be causing a noise nuisance for local people.
“We don’t have a problem with the store producing renewable energy but the design is quite obtrusive.”
But the scheme was passed, with strict conditions that a noise assessment must be carried out before any building work begins.
A Tesco spokesman said the company was “extremely pleased” the scheme had been given the green light.
16 May 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/05/16/turbine-power-for-tesco/