COUNCILLORS in Rossendale have called on planning officers to draw up plans to help them combat an influx of wind turbines.

Members of the council’s development control committee said mounting numbers of individual, and revised, applications were a ploy by developers to steadily create ‘farms’.

Five more turbines that will affect the Valley were confirmed at a meeting on Tuesday night – two in Bacup, and three on the borough’s border with Calderdale.

After the two Bacup turbines, located at Heightside Farm and Parrock Farm, in Todmorden Road, were agreed, Coun Peter Roberts accused developers of ‘planning creep’.

Both farm turbines had been given permission previously at heights of 24.5m, but were increased to 34.2m after the committee voted narrowly in favour.

Coun Roberts said: “These plans are disingenuous.

“Developers are gaining permission for small turbines and then returning with lar-ger applications.

“We need to balance the need for renewable energy with the need to maintain our landscape.

“Why refer to studies and then ignore them?”

Coun Jackie Oakes said it was difficult for the committee to refuse the taller turbines purely on planning grounds.

She said: “Lots of the turbines which have permission haven’t been built yet as they can take up to three years. It’s difficult to picture what they will all look like together, and that’s why we need an overall plan.”

Stephen Stray, planning manager at Rossendale Council, said the request had been noted and would be considered before the committee’s next meeting.

The other development, at Reaps Moss, near Limers Gate, was initially refused permission in 2007, but that was overturned by the Secretary of State in 2009 after an appeal by energy company Coronation Power.

Further modifications to the plans were agreed, including the creation of a new feeder road, turning head, and hardstanding area.