PLANS to re-route 45 metre-long lorries carrying giant wind turbines through the centre of Whitworth are being considered by Rossendale Council.

Trucks carrying 12 turbines of up to 125 metres in height are likely to travel down Market Street towards Crook Hill wind farm to avoid the cliff-face at the junction of Market Street and Landgate from having to be cut back to allow them access.

The developer, Corporation Power, said that stone which would have been excavated for the access road works could be found, instead, from nearby Middle Hill Quarry.

If the new plans are passed by the council next week the trucks will travel on the A671 through Rochdale and Shawforth from the M60 and M62 to the site between Calderdale and Rochdale.

Coun Ronald Neal, for Healey and Whitworth, told a Whitworth Town Council meeting about the changed route that he and a number of residents had real concerns.

In response to the 32 consultation letters sent to residents, three letters/emails were sent to the council.

One resident said they were in favour of the changes, and two objected to them.

One of the objectors said: “To access the Crook Hill wind farm from Shawforth does not take into consideration the community, farmers or landscape.

“It also runs the risk of flooding due to the redirection of moorland waters and damage to properties due to the additional loads on local roads.”

One resident on the junction of Landgate and Market Street said the huge trucks will now pass 2ft away from their house and objected to the plans on those grounds.

The council said it will record the structural condition of the property before and after construction of the wind farm, and will do the same for other properties in the vicinity.

In a summary of why the plans had been recommended for approval, the report said: “The proposed variation to the previous conditions of planning permission will not have any more materially harmful effect than the access arrangements already approved.”