Cowling residents hit out at plans for wind turbines 

Cowling residents living on the Yorkshire/ Lancashire border have hit out at plans to erect three “Nelson’s Column” sized wind turbines.

Although two separate applications by DC21 Ltd, of Huddersfield, to erect two 46-metre high turbines at Hollin Raikes Farm, Cowling, and another 500 metres away at Hazelgrove Lodge, in Warley Wise Lane, Laneshaw Bridge, have been turned down by Pendle Council planning committees, more than 30 objectors say the fight is not over.

A Cowling resident, who did not want to be named, said: “Local people are quite shocked to learn why anyone would want to install large-scale wind turbines in such a small area.

“These things would be nearly as high as Nelson’s Column.”

Another spokesman for the residents said: “The proposed developments are wholly out of proportion and scale in this peaceful residential area. These 46-metre high turbines will dominate the landscape for decades to come and blight the lives of many local residents. We especially object to the methods employed by the developer.

“Local landowners have been approached by DC21 and encouraged to submit individual applications – circumventing more stringent regulations which would apply in the event of a full-scale application for a wind farm.”

The Hollin Raikes plan was rejected in March on landscape grounds, but DC21 has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, which will start considering the appeal today.

The controversial application to install the 46-metre high wind turbine at the site just over the Yorkshire border in Laneshaw Bridge was rejected by the Colne Area Committee on Thursday.

The plan was recommended for approval by planning officers, but councillors turned it down saying it would have an adverse impact on the countryside in the area.

Ward councillor Paul White said: “Whilst we are considering an application for one turbine, I feel that we cannot ignore what else is going on in this area.

“We have had an application for two turbines on the adjacent farm turned down already and I am also led to believe that there are investigations ongoing just over the border in Craven. So we could have a series of small development across two boroughs and two counties making a large development.

“We have to ask ourselves whether we are being conned into having a large-scale wind farm here.

“Yes, this is an application for one turbine, constituting a small-scale development, but surely several small-scale developments in the same area make a larger development and it is ridiculous that this can happen.”

Coun Joe Cooney also said the turbine would be too imposing and would have a “significant impact on one of the nicest areas of Pendle”.

“It is a spectacular area and we want it to stay that way,” he said. “The applications said it would be good for the rural economy but I don’t believe that is the case, it is good for the person who gets the energy but it won’t help the local area.”

In a statement of support for the Hazelgrove Lodge application, DC21 said: “The turbine should integrate well into the landscape, impact on residential and recreational amenity will be minimal.”