March 17, 2015
England

South Cumbria windfarm’s towering turbines are too intrusive says campaign group

North-West Evening Mail | 17 March 2015 | www.nwemail.co.uk

Residents have pledged to campaign against replacing an old windfarm with turbines which will be three times the height of the existing ones.

The 12 42m-high Kirkby Moor turbines were installed almost 25 years ago before many of the protesters had moved to the area so they say they are not “Nimbys” but find the new plans “intrusive”.

The plans submitted by RWE would see six 115m-high turbines adjacent to moorland which is an official Site of Special Scientific Importance.

Stop Turbines Attacking Rural Cumbria – or STARC – have been encouraging residents who object to write to SLDC planning panel.

STARC founding member Roni Johnston, of Broughton Beck, said: “We are not against renewable energy and when many of us moved here those smaller turbines were already up so we moved here knowing that they only last 25 years – but what we didn’t expect is for them to be replaced by turbines three times their height.

“We have all got grandchildren so we want to plan to leave something behind for the future generations’ energy, but we want something which doesn’t leave concrete slabs behind, isn’t intrusive to this beautiful part of the country, and which lasts longer than 25 years.

“In their plans they say they are “repowering” the old farm, but they’re not. It’s going to be on a completely different site. They aren’t putting the turbines on the old slabs where these ones stood.”

If approved by SLDC planning panel it would also see a new substation with parking for 29 cars.

Ms Johnston added: “Before I moved here I used to come here for family holidays and fell in love with the place.

It’s beautiful, so why are we putting up these monsters?”

The campaigners say that aside from aesthetics they believe the new windfarm would have a negative effect on wildlife and tourism.

STARC, whose motto is “Say no to monsters”, have put up flyers across Kirkby and have been considering an online petition.

An SLDC planning meeting date has yet to be confirmed, but is expected in the summer.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/03/17/south-cumbria-windfarms-towering-turbines-are-too-intrusive-says-campaign-group/