March 1, 2013
England

Planners blow out Kelda turbine bid

Todmorden News | 1 March 2013 | www.todmordennews.co.uk

Controversial plans by a water company to develop a wind farm on the hills above Todmorden have been thrown out.

While campaigners against the application are delighted with the decision they are also remaining on their guard as Kelda Water Services have yet to decide whether they will appeal.

Kelda had applied to Calderdale Council to build five wind turbines each of a maximum height of 125 metres to blade-tip, and the associated infrastructure including an 85 metre high metereological mast, a control building, crane hardstandings and access tracks extending from Bacup Road, Todmorden, at land to the south west of its Gorpley Reservoir.

Reasons planners threw out the plans included that the turbines would have a significant adverse cumulative impact on the landscape as wind farms were already to be built at nearby Reaps Moss, Crook Hill and Todmorden Moor. The benefits to carbon emission reduction in addressing climate change was thus not considered to outweigh this identified harm, said planners.

The turbines would have a serious adverse affect on the Bottomley family, whose Keeper’s Cottage faced the proposed turbines, they said.

Mr Steve Bottomley said planners felt their case for refusing the application was strong enough. “Obviously we are pleased about it, but we wait to see if there is a sting in the tail,” he said.

A spokesman for Kelda said: “We are very disappointed with the council’s decision. We are awaiting the planning officer’s report which we willreview in detail and then decide on the best way forward,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/01/planners-blow-out-kelda-turbine-bid/