Ribble Valley residents’ anger at garden centre wind turbines bid

1:00pm Tuesday 17th July 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Jessica Cree, Education reporter

CENTRE OF ROW Carr Hall Home and Garden Centre, in Whalley Road CENTRE OF ROW Carr Hall Home and Garden Centre, in Whalley Road

A RIBBLE Valley garden centre has applied for planning permission to erect three wind turbines.

The 46-metre structures have been proposed by Andrew Donelan, owner of Carr Hall Home and Garden Centre, in Whalley Road, Wilpshire, in a bid to offset the site’s electricity usage.

But several residents have said they are opposed to the move branding the turbines “ugly monstrosities”.

Mr Donelan’s development plans are for elevated green belt land within the garden centre boundaries.

It is anticipated that the 50 kilowatt turbines will generate 600,000 kilowatt hours of energy each year, enough to power 120 homes.

Some of the energy from the turbines, which would be almost be the height of five double-decker buses, would be used onsite to offset grid electricity and the rest would be exported to the National Grid.

According to the application, the nearest homes are 340 metres away.

Thomas O’Kane, who lives in Lyndale Close, said he was concerned that he would be able to see the turbines from his home.

He said: “There is a time and a place for sticking turbines up and I can’t understand why they don’t put them in river estuaries.

“What a blot on the landscape they would be.”

Lewis Culshaw, who also lives close to the proposed site, in Sunnyside Avenue, said: “To mount these ugly monstr-osities in such a beautiful area will be wanton vandalism.

“To place such a blight on the landscape, spoiling a beautiful horizon, seen and enjoyed by many, will be madness.”

Coun Michael Ranson, leader of Ribble Valley Council, said: “I can see no benefit of wind turbines whatsoever.

“To have them this size near so many properties and near an area of natural beauty is just wrong.

“I don’t think they have any place in the Ribble Valley.”

No one from Carr Hall Home and Garden Centre was available for comment.

Comments (7)

1:38pm Tue 17 Jul 12

jezblue says...

Its not the only thing he's planning to do. Pleasure helicopter rides starting in August, noise pollution allweek-end
Its not the only thing he's planning to do. Pleasure helicopter rides starting in August, noise pollution allweek-end jezblue

2:05pm Tue 17 Jul 12

caballo says...

The usual misleading figures I see.
In truth 600k kwh will service about 70 homes, that's assuming that all 3 turbines are in operation all of the time add to that of course the small matter that the wind needs to blow between 10 and 15 mph, 24hrs a day for 52 weeks of the year.
The usual misleading figures I see. In truth 600k kwh will service about 70 homes, that's assuming that all 3 turbines are in operation all of the time add to that of course the small matter that the wind needs to blow between 10 and 15 mph, 24hrs a day for 52 weeks of the year. caballo

2:24pm Tue 17 Jul 12

anonther says...

And how did he manage to circumvent the planning rules to build the garden centre in the first place?
And how did he manage to circumvent the planning rules to build the garden centre in the first place? anonther

2:45pm Tue 17 Jul 12

Noiticer says...

Another example of commercial gain at the expense of the beauty of the local area. This application is for a site in the Green Belt which government policy says should be protected from inappropriate and unsympathetic development. Has the applicant no sensitivity to the beauty of his surroundings?
This development will be in a very prominent location overlooking much of the Ribble Valley and visible from many points beyond including the Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
I suggest that those who are opposed to such development send in objections to Ribble Borough Council's Planning Department asap and also vote with their feet.
Another example of commercial gain at the expense of the beauty of the local area. This application is for a site in the Green Belt which government policy says should be protected from inappropriate and unsympathetic development. Has the applicant no sensitivity to the beauty of his surroundings? This development will be in a very prominent location overlooking much of the Ribble Valley and visible from many points beyond including the Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I suggest that those who are opposed to such development send in objections to Ribble Borough Council's Planning Department asap and also vote with their feet. Noiticer

3:15pm Tue 17 Jul 12

shytalk says...

Noiticer wrote:
Another example of commercial gain at the expense of the beauty of the local area. This application is for a site in the Green Belt which government policy says should be protected from inappropriate and unsympathetic development. Has the applicant no sensitivity to the beauty of his surroundings? This development will be in a very prominent location overlooking much of the Ribble Valley and visible from many points beyond including the Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I suggest that those who are opposed to such development send in objections to Ribble Borough Council's Planning Department asap and also vote with their feet.
Like sending in objections to Ribble Borough councils planning department is going to make any difference..They have been weighed down with objections to planning applications from all over the area that have made no difference as far as they are concerned. Just ask the residents of Whalley.
[quote][p][bold]Noiticer[/bold] wrote: Another example of commercial gain at the expense of the beauty of the local area. This application is for a site in the Green Belt which government policy says should be protected from inappropriate and unsympathetic development. Has the applicant no sensitivity to the beauty of his surroundings? This development will be in a very prominent location overlooking much of the Ribble Valley and visible from many points beyond including the Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I suggest that those who are opposed to such development send in objections to Ribble Borough Council's Planning Department asap and also vote with their feet.[/p][/quote]Like sending in objections to Ribble Borough councils planning department is going to make any difference..They have been weighed down with objections to planning applications from all over the area that have made no difference as far as they are concerned. Just ask the residents of Whalley. shytalk

4:30pm Tue 17 Jul 12

aprilalaska says...

I live very very close to car hall and I don't want them anywhere near my home. Building them so close to residential housing is unfair and it's being done for purely selfish reasons, I can see no benefit to them.
I fear Car hall will struggle for local visitors if they are persistent in this venture, as locals do treasure the area and with good reason.
I live very very close to car hall and I don't want them anywhere near my home. Building them so close to residential housing is unfair and it's being done for purely selfish reasons, I can see no benefit to them. I fear Car hall will struggle for local visitors if they are persistent in this venture, as locals do treasure the area and with good reason. aprilalaska

2:00am Wed 18 Jul 12

Deeeee says...

I totally agree, this is for nothing more than for purely selfish reason. Three wind turbines will not generate enough electricity to put enough back into the National Grid to serve 30 properties never mind 70. The proposed wind turbines would need electricity back up to serve when there is not enough wind to generate the turbibes.... The planning application has a number of contradictory errors and any objections should be voiced strongly. At sea is the only place for wind turbines, not residential areas, the garden centre is not fit for purpose and neither is this proposed application..
I totally agree, this is for nothing more than for purely selfish reason. Three wind turbines will not generate enough electricity to put enough back into the National Grid to serve 30 properties never mind 70. The proposed wind turbines would need electricity back up to serve when there is not enough wind to generate the turbibes.... The planning application has a number of contradictory errors and any objections should be voiced strongly. At sea is the only place for wind turbines, not residential areas, the garden centre is not fit for purpose and neither is this proposed application.. Deeeee

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