July 15, 2014
England

Wind of change in Allerdale over turbines

By Jenny Barwise | News & Star | 15 July 2014 | www.newsandstar.co.uk

Allerdale will be the first district in the country to introduce tough restrictions on wind turbine companies to tackle the ever growing number of applications.

A Government inspector said the authority’s plans to ensure any future turbines were built at least 800m from nearby houses were “sound”.

And if next week’s full council agree to adopting Allerdale Local Plan they will immediately be brought into force.

The news has been welcomed by those who have fought long and hard to put a stop to many developments which they say are saturating the borough’s land.

David Colborn, chairman of Friends of Rural Cumbria’s Environment (FORCE) said it was great news as the distance recognised the need to take a positive approach to renewable energy, while protecting the rights of residents at the same time.

“This separation distance provides far greater, and much needed, protection to the amenity of Allerdale residents who have on very many occasions clearly expressed their views with regard to the inappropriate siting of wind turbines in close proximity to homes,” he added.

“It might not be popular with turbine developers who may feel moved to challenge it.”

However, the potential change in rules comes too late for many people who already have turbines less than 800m away from their homes.

More than 800 residents campaigned to stop Airvolution Energy build a turbine which was nearly as big as Big Ben on the outskirts of Workington two years ago.

The house of Glenis Jones, at Barncroft Avenue in Seaton, was visited by a planning inspector who said she lived the nearest to the site – 500m away.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/07/15/wind-of-change-in-allerdale-over-turbines/