March 6, 2014
England

‘We don’t want wind farm here’

Lancashire Evening Post | 06 March 2014 | www.lep.co.uk

Hundreds of residents turned out to discuss controversial plans for a wind farm in rural Lancashire.

Around 250 people attended a public exhibition to find out the latest information on RWE Innogy UK’s proposed Cuckoo Wood wind farm plans in St Michael’s on Wyre.

The energy company has revealed it hopes to put in a planning application to Wyre Council this autumn for a major development.

The company outlined its proposals and details of its ongoing survey work at a public information event at St Michael’s Village Hall.

The company said it wanted to get feedback on how a community benefits fund could be used and share information about opportunities for local businesses.

Site developer Alice Byrne said the designs of the proposed farm had evolved since RWE’s last public event in September.

She said: “We have reduced the number of turbines from seven to five and consolidated them into a cluster in order to increase the distances between the proposed turbines and homes. This is as a result of the initial feedback we received from local residents and the findings from the extensive studies we are undertaking at the site.”

Many local residents made clear their opposition to the proposals, lining up both outside and inside the hall.

Some expressed fears Wyre was set to be come one massive wind farm.

County Coun Vivien Taylor said: “I came along to demonstrate my support to these people. I feel that there are too many problems with wind farms.”

She said she feared the local mossland terrain would provide unsuitable foundations for any development.

Resident Jan Hallam said: “My main concern is we are a little rural village with a good community, this village doesn’t need anything really. This will benefit the landowners and the power companies and the rest of us are losers.”

Caroline Hanson said: “It’s going to stop people coming into the area – they are such an eyesore. We have an early mediaeval church mentioned in the Domesday Book and they are going to put this monstrous wind farm just over a kilometre away.”

See www.rweinnogy.com/cuckoowood for more information about the development.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/06/we-dont-want-wind-farm-here/