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Wind turbines action group vows to fight on
Credit: Teesdale Mercury | 03/04/2014 | www.teesdalemercury.co.uk ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
The reduction in the number of turbines on a proposed wind farm brings no comfort to the group that is opposing it.
Banks Renewables initially submitted plans to build a wind farm between Hamsterley and Woodland in 2011 but were put on hold as planners wanted additional surveys on wildlife.
The £12.4million project has been in the pipeline for four years.
It has since been announced that the number of wind turbines has been reduced from five to four, but their height will be increased by ten metres.
Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at The Banks Group, said: “Work on the detailed design of the proposed Windy Bank wind farm is continuing, and we will ensure all interested parties are fully informed of any updated proposals as and when they are finalised.”
Regardless of the changes, Hamsterley and Upper Gaunless Action Group (HUGAG) is strongly opposed to the proposal and says the changes raise “all sorts of new questions and concerns regarding landscape, ecology and residential amenity”.
Peter Shield, of HUGAG, said: “It’s been an incredibly long time that people have been living with this hanging over them.
“The announcement that one turbine is being removed gives us no comfort at all, especially as a further ten metres is apparently being added to the height of the remaining four.
“We still maintain the site is significantly constrained and inappropriate for this development.
“We are confident that eventually things will be resolved in our favour.”
Mr Dowdall, however, argued that the site had been independently identified as being suitable for wind development.
“We strongly believe that we have chosen a wholly appropriate location for the type of scheme we’re putting forward,” he said.
“As well as producing significant amounts of renewable energy, our scheme would also bring a wide range of other long-term benefits to the local area, from new jobs and contract opportunities for local firms, to a substantial community fund which would lead to tangible improvements to community facilities and deliver a new workplace learning and employability programme for local people.”
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