January 19, 2013
England

Plans for more Cumbrian wind turbines

By John Connell | Times & Star | 19 January 2013 | www.timesandstar.co.uk

Plans for yet another Allerdale windfarm will soon be considered despite claims the area is already overloaded with turbines.

FCC Environment wants to erect four 324ft (99m) turbines on a landfill site at Lillyhall, near Workington, close to a separate windfarm proposal by another developer at Branthwiate.

An investigation has been already been launched after it was revealed that Allerdale has 62 per cent of Cumbria’s turbines total.

According to the planning statement carried out by Stephenson Halliday Ltd on behalf of the developer, the turbines at Lillyhall would have a “significant” effect on residential properties at Winscales near Workington.

“Most properties within Winscales village would experience views with varying degrees of screening down to the layout of the village,” it states.

“The conclusion of the assessment was that whilst significant effects may arise in the private context, it is considered that the overall change in visual amenity would not be unacceptable, given the separation distance from the proposed turbine and in general the restricted nature of the views from the dwellings in the local area.”

The decision on whether to approve or reject the scheme will be made by the county council’s development control and regulation committee, either on February 13 or March 27.

Energy companies have raised objections to the plans amid claims the turbines may cause interference to radio systems.

But Winscales parish council had no comments to make about the proposals.

The development is not far from another proposed windfarm development at Potato Pot, Branthwaite.

London-based Airvolution Energy Ltd wants to build three 328ft (100m) turbines would which would also be visible from surrounding villages, including Winscales.

Allerdale Council has received 19 objections to the plans for three turbines at Potato Pot, at Branthwaite, including one from Cumbria County Council amid claims it would erode the character of the area.

But a spokeswoman for Airvolution has sought to explain why there are so many windfarm applications in Allerdale.

“There are a limited number of places where large wind turbines can go, something like two per cent of the land area in Great Britain once all the constraints are taken into account,” she said. “Those constraints will have a big impact on where turbines are being proposed within Cumbria.

“Wind power helps ensure our low carbon future, and energy security.”

The probe into why Allerdale has so many turbines got underway after councillor Bill Finlay raised concerns about it at a meeting of Allerdale council’s scrutiny sub committee.

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URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/19/plans-for-more-cumbrian-wind-turbines/