February 28, 2015
England

Wind turbines fight: ‘local voices heard’

By Rebecca Cohen | Pendle Today | 28 February 2015 | www.pendletoday.co.uk

A county councillor has said he will continue to work with residents “to actively campaign against turbines cluttering up and despoiling some of the finest landscapes in England”.

Coun. Paul White’s words come after planning inspectors rejected the last four turbine appeals.

Last week we reported how identical 45.5m wind turbines on either side of Skipton Old Road at Flass Bent Farm and Knarr Side Farm were rejected due to the “harm they would cause to the character and appearance of the local landscape”.

Coun. White, who has fronted a campaign against the proliferation of wind turbines, said: “The Conservatives, both nationally and locally, have been really clear on this issue.

“As a country we are on course for a total of more than 15 gigawatts of onshore wind farms, compared with the total of 11-13GW needed by 2020 to meet EU renewable energy targets.

“This means that thanks to the dash for Government subsidy set up by the last Labour Government, we will have 1,000 more wind turbines than we need to meet our green energy commitment. David Cameron said enough is enough and we agree with him.”

Summing up his response to the proposal, planning inspector David Pinner said: “It seems, therefore, that there is consensus amongst the council, local objectors and inspectors that the considerable benefits of wind turbines for the production of clean, renewable energy and reduction in greenhouse emissions are outweighed by the harm, especially the cumulative harm, that development of turbines such as those proposed in these appeals would have on the local landscape and people’s enjoyment of it.”

Coun. White, who also represents the Boulsworth ward on Pendle Council, added that he is “delighted that local residents have had their voices heard”.

He founded the #TheColneWindDebate campaign, and also set up www.colneconservatives.wix.com/wind and has been working with residents’ groups like Lidgett and Beyond and the Noyna Hill Group.

He added: “We are not resting on our laurels.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/02/28/wind-turbines-fight-local-voices-heard/