October 29, 2010
England, Letters

It’ll be land of the giants

Todmorden News, www.todmordennews.co.uk 28 October 2010

People who are concerned about the new proposals for industrial sized wind turbines on Todmorden Moor will have been pleased to read your front page article last week.

The Town Council has always understood the damage these huge machines, and their wide access roads, would do to the vulnerable peat moorland, and the value the common land has for walkers and riders.

However, you were misleading in your choice of photograph for the article.

It is time to stop using photos of relatively small turbines, put up about 18 years ago, to illustrate articles on modern industrial wind farms. Your photo does not help anyone understand the current situation.

The modern industrial wind turbine is more than twice as high, and a much more massive construction than the earlier turbines like those at Coal Clough and Ovenden Moor.

And they are so land-greedy. Because the giant turbines have to be spaced well apart. In the case of Todmorden Moor the roads across the peat would slice up the whole of the moorland top from Flower Scar Hill westwards.

I am including photo-simulations of how the 125m high Todmorden Moor turbines would actually look.

These photomontages were supplied for the Planning Inquiry last year and approved, so we can say with confidence that they are an accurate representation. These are vast industrial structures, with deep and potentially damaging foundations set into the moorland.

The Planning Inspector’s Report after the 2009 Inquiry stated that there would be “significant adverse impact on the recreational value of the moor”, and the turbines would “severely diminish” the moor’s openness, and characteristic remoteness and tranquillity.

Many people agree with him. There is still time to write to Calderdale and object.

Anyone wanting information to help with their objection letters can contact the Todmorden Moor Restoration Trust on 01706 559971 or by email r.pennie@tiscali.co.uk.

Mrs Sarah Pennie, for TODMORDEN MOOR RESTORATION TRUST


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/10/29/itll-be-land-of-the-giants/