August 25, 2011
England

Residents speak out over turbine plan

By Andrew Clarke, News & Star, www.newsandstar.co.uk 25 August 2011

A community is to “vigorously” oppose controversial plans for a wind turbine on a farm near Egremont.

A public meeting, held in Thornhill Social Club last night, heard that local residents were “unanimously against” plans for the single turbine at High Thorny in the tiny village of Carleton.

Resident Edwin Jackson, of Thorny Road, Thornhill, was among those against the proposal.

“We don’t want this turbine on top of Carleton,” he said. “It’s just one, but if they get one it could be followed by others. I’ll be looking straight at it from my house.’’

The public meeting was chaired by Yvonne and Norman Clarkson, the borough and county councillors respectively for the area.

Councillor Yvonne Clarkson said after the meeting: “It was felt that the community needs to be better informed of the impact that this one proposed turbine would have on the surrounding communities

“Residents were extremely unhappy about the visual impact of such a large structure on the skyline of the agricultural landscape.

“They were worried that if this application for a single turbine was approved it would be the forerunner for numerous others.

“Other people were concerned about noise impact and flicker.

“All residents present were unanimously agreed that they would vigorously oppose this application.”

Individual letters of objection have already been received by Copeland Council, with more expected to follow after last night’s meeting.

Haile parish council has also lodged a formal protest, while a petition was set to be distributed around Egremont today.

Yvonne Clarkson has also called for Copeland’s planning panel, which will rule on the application in the coming months, to visit the site before making a decision.

The Government can give subsidies of £2,000 a year to a farmer or landowner for having a wind turbine on their property.

The proposed Enercon E48 (500kw) turbine would export power to the national grid. Windfarm supporters say Britain must accept changes to its landscape, plus the cost of subsidies, as the price of cutting CO2 emissions.

Meawhile, consultations are still taking place on proposals for a six-turbine windfarm at Keekle Head, just outside Whitehaven.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/08/25/residents-speak-out-over-turbine-plan/