June 17, 2011
England

Cumbrians issue urgent call to oppose turbines

By Linzi Watson, News & Star, www.newsandstar.co.uk 17 June 2011

A new anti-wind turbine protest group has been formed to fight proposed developments in Longtown.

BLOW! (Block Longtown Wind Turbines) is urging people to urgently lodge objections against some of the largest turbines in the county being built on the edge of the town.

Planning applications have been submitted for two large developments. BLOW! say if these are given the go-ahead, the town will be “surrounded” by huge turbines.

The first of these is a proposals for a six-turbine windfarm at Hallburn Farm. Energy company Cornwall Light and Power (CLP) want to build the 127m (416ft) turbines just east of the town. They would stand three times as tall as Carlisle Civic Centre and be visible for miles around.

Joining this application is a larger plan for nine similarly tall turbines at Beck Burn, Solway Moss, between Gretna and Longtown, proposed by energy company EDF Renewables.

The Hallburn Farm development will come before councillors in July when a decision on whether or not it goes ahead is expected to be made.

The deadline for objections or responses to this wind farm is Monday.

Eileen Naude, of BLOW!, has written to Longtown residents urging them to object because of the effects on wildlife, road safety, tourism , the character of the town and noise pollution.

She told The Cumberland News that she decided to protest after attending a rally organised by Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart against these developments, which was held at Solway Moss earlier this month.

She said: “I knew that wind turbines were a massive blight on the landscape but what I didn’t realise was how ineffective they are.

“There are also two Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the local vicinity –we have to look after these.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/06/17/cumbrians-issue-urgent-call-to-oppose-turbines/