Pendle wind farm designs on display (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Pendle wind farm designs on display
11:00am Tuesday 3rd August 2010 in Reedley
TURBINE DESIGNS UNVEILED: Resident Jack Simpson takes a look at the proposed site of Pendle’s first commercial wind farm
DESIGNS for Pendle’s first commercial windfarm have been unveiled as part of a public consultation.
The images show the three 95-metre high wind turbines that communications giant BT want to install on farmland near Higham.
A formal application for the scheme, at Moor Isles Farm, in Woodend Road, on the Higham-Reedley border, has yet to be submitted.
However, BT has consulted with Pendle Borough Council and said the latest exhibition is part of the firm’s attempts to show residents what to expect.
But the designs, which were on show at Pendle Forest Scout Hut, in Wheatley Lane Road, Fence, on Friday and Saturday, have done little to allay the fears of those who raised concerns about the proposed windfarm from the outset.
Brian Newman, chairman of Old Laund Booth Parish Council, said: “We’re now dead against it more than ever.
“They are two thirds the height of Blackpool Tower and a blot on the landscape.
“If BT are concerned about the environment why not invest in off-shore developments rather than three here and two there?"
Fence resident Jack Simpson said: “I can understand where they are coming from because they want to reduce their carbon footprint, but I think there are possibly better places for them."
According to BT, the firm intends to generate 30 per cent of its energy needs via renewable sources by 2020.
Each turbine is capabale of generating 2.3 megawatts, enough to power around 4,000 homes.
BT said it would take residents’ views into consideration before submitting any application for the scheme.
Comments(9)
Jimpster
says...
12:41pm Tue 3 Aug 10
Norm de Plume
says...
2:15pm Tue 3 Aug 10
A Bill has been introduce in the House of Lords to regulate the distance wind turbines must be from residences, according to their height - 1500 metres in this case. If passed, it would knock this application on the head. A similar rule already exists in Scotland and on the Continent.
There are far more suitable places for these things, if we must have them.
A Darener
says...
10:48am Wed 4 Aug 10
Norm de Plume wrote:NIMBY! Bet you use electricity. It has got to come from somewhere.
This application is for these monstrosities to be in the middle of a Green Belt (and Pendle Witch Country) - an area surrounded by listed buildings. BT (and the greedy landowner) are only in this to make money because of the huge subsidies involved. Any electricity produced (and these things are less than 30% efficient) is sold into the grid. As for consultation, it took BT 4 months (and over a dozen letters and emails) to even give me a response. The local people expressed their outrage when the plan for the anemometer (wind testing machine) was thrown out unanimously by Pendle Council, and again at the exhibition. Perhaps BT need one of their own assisted hearing devices. A Bill has been introduce in the House of Lords to regulate the distance wind turbines must be from residences, according to their height - 1500 metres in this case. If passed, it would knock this application on the head. A similar rule already exists in Scotland and on the Continent. There are far more suitable places for these things, if we must have them.
dmmike
says...
1:05pm Wed 4 Aug 10
Darener, we are all nimbys about something.
Norm de Plume
says...
10:11am Thu 5 Aug 10
A Darener
says...
11:05am Thu 5 Aug 10
Norm de Plume
says...
4:01pm Fri 6 Aug 10
Any development in a Grren Belt is deemed "inappropriate" and can only be permitted in "very special circumstances" which do not exist here.
skiddaw
says...
8:29pm Wed 18 Aug 10
pip-pip says...
11:38am Tue 3 Aug 10
before, of course, rejecting the views, as is usual in these cases.