December 17, 2011
Editorials, England

Turbines swirl up a debate

News & Star, www.newsandstar.co.uk 17 December 2011

Few people will be sorry that plans to build one of the tallest windfarms in the UK at Solway Moss near Longtown were turned down by Carlisle City Council.

While the nation generally embraces greener methods of producing power, many Cumbrians believe our own green a pleasant land has reached turbine saturation point.

It prompted all six of the county’s MPs to come together recently and present a united cross-party front, declaring opposition to any more windfarms on Cumbrian land.

Offshore is something the MPs can live with, but such is Cumbria’s reliance on its beauty, there is a growing feeling that we have done our fair share to harness the wind and turn it into electricity.

EDF Energy Renewables applied to put up nine turbines up to 413ft high at Black Burn peatworks but the scheme fell foul of the MoD, which claimed vibrations from the turbines would interfere with equipment at Eskdalemuir, used to monitor nuclear tests around the world.

Residents living anywhere near the site of what would have been a huge collection of structures, had varied reasons for their opposition.

Wind power is a subject which divides the nation and the county. Many are yet to be convinced that it is efficient, other claim easily available grants lead to too many planning applications.

Some view the turbines as objects of beauty and the way forward. For now, this corner of Cumbria won’t take any more.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/12/17/turbines-swirl-up-a-debate/