January 5, 2012
England

Campaigners meet to oppose plan for Darwen wind turbines

By Sam Chadderton » Reporter, Lancashire Telegraph, www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk 5 January 2012

The family behind wind turbine plans for Darwen came face to face with their opposition at a public meeting.

Around 100 residents had a brief presentation on the objections to Elizabeth Gott’s 88.5m turbine scheme for Cranberry Moor from Martin Vizzard, of Cranberry Fold Court, and Wayne Silver.

They outlined to people at The Whitehall Country Club fears over the size and scale of the turbine, which would be taller than the town’s India Mill chimney, as well as ‘shadow flicker’, health, noise, wildlife, countryside and landscape impacts.

Mr Vizzard said: “We were not given chance to be involved in the planning process. Many people in Darwen are not even aware of the application.

“We believe this will fundamentally alter the landscape of the valley.”

Tony Duckworth, of the Campaign to Protect Rural England said: “There is every reason to think this is the beginning of a marathon as to how you want your countryside – where you live or what you look out on – to appear in the future.

“My opinion is it tarnishes my green and pleasant land. This is a wake-up call.”

Resident Lisa Healey, who only moved into the ‘house of our dreams’ in June, said: “The only word to describe the views from the rear was breathtaking. Now it is heart-breaking.”

Mrs Gott and a relative were seated at the back of the room and were invited to reply. However, said: “No I don’t want to respond. I’ve just come to see what people have got to say and what their problems are. I’m not disregarding that.

“I’ve not come for a slanging match. But I would like to know why I wasn’t invited to this meeting. I was not notified.”

The Gotts declined to speak to the Lancashire Telegraph.

Councillors will decide on the plan in mid-February.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/05/campaigners-meet-to-oppose-plan-for-darwen-wind-turbines/