April 21, 2012
England

Council chief speaks out against turbines

By Gareth Jones, North-West Evening Mail, www.nwemail.co.uk 21 April 2012

Cumbria should not have to shoulder an unfair burden of wind turbines, council leaders have stated.

Cumbria County Council’s leader and cabinet member responsible for environment have both raised concerns over the amount of turbines that could be erected in the county.

A lobby group of anti-windfarm protestors attended the council’s annual general meeting in Kendal on Thursday as part of a national day of action for wind farm opposition groups.

Councillor Eddie Martin, leader of the council, said that Cumbria is home to more wind turbines than the combined total of 22 other home county areas.

He said: “The plethora of windfarms creeping across the county are against the wishes of the majority of local people. If the government is as good as its word about localism and letting local people dictate and direct local issues, then they need to listen to local people and hear us loud and clear when we say ‘No new windfarms’.

“I am not only concerned about the visual impact of all these turbines, I am also angered by the obscene subsidies developers are offered to build new turbines.

“This money needs to come from somewhere – it is not a free gift from the government, it’s a tax on energy users as we all end up paying for these subsidies through higher energy bills.”

And Councillor Tim Knowles, cabinet member responsible for environment, said he was aware of concerns raised by residents.

He said: “The county council is aware of the increasing alarm and frustration in some of our communities about the impacts of wind turbines on many of our cherished landscapes outside the designated areas of the National Parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

“Alongside this awareness is an acknowledgement that Cumbria has played, and will continue to play, a major role in addressing the nation’s low carbon energy needs.

“This is why we are at the forefront of the debate on how Cumbria can take forward the government’s policy of new nuclear build.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/04/21/council-chief-speaks-out-against-turbines/