February 9, 2011
England

Cumbrian windfarm will be built despite 2,000 objections

By Jenny Barwise, www.newsandstar.co.uk 9 February 2011

A decision to stop a windfarm being built near Cockermouth has been overturned by a Government inspector despite 2,000 objections.

Plans were thrown out by Allerdale Council last September for six 100ft turbines to be built at Tallentire Hill.

But the company behind the scheme, Renewable Energy Solutions UK, lodged an appeal against the decision and following a seven-day government inquiry held in November, a planning inspector has now allowed the scheme to go ahead.

Since the scheme was revealed three years ago, there has been a backlash from residents, parish councillors and specially-formed action groups.

They said that the turbines would spoil views of the landscape as well as ruining the quality of life for residents.

But the Government inspector, George Baird, said that the turbines “would not appear unacceptably dominant or overbearing,” when he revealed his decision to allow the scheme to go ahead this week. Mr Baird also said that the wind turbines would not have an unacceptable impact on neighbours’ living conditions, in his 34-page report.

The plans resulted in an army of protesters from Cockermouth, Oughterside, Aspatria, Plumbland and Gilcrux joining forces with those from Tallentire to fight the proposals.

Two thousand letters of objection were submitted to Allerdale Council and following a development panel meeting last September, it seemed that the protesters had won the battle when the scheme was thrown out.

But this wasn’t to be and residents and campaigners were dealt with the blow this week that Allerdale’s planning authority’s decision had been overruled by the Government.

Disgnusted Workington MP Tony Cunningham said: “There was always a balance between creating energy and the detrimental impact on the environment and tourism – and that balance has long gone. By sticking a small number of turbines in a field to generate little and to blight the area is nonsense.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/02/09/cumbrian-windfarm-will-be-built-despite-2000-objections/