Wind farm plans could face inquiry

Rossendale Council's planning officers have recommended councillors on its development control committee to reject the application when they meet next Tuesday.

And campaign group Friends of Scout Moor are confident that Rochdale Council will follow suit.

United Utilities and Peel Holdings have put forward plans to build 26 turbines on Scout Moor, Edenfield and Knowle Moor, in Rochdale, which they say could generate enough power for 51,000 homes: that's all of Rossendale and 60 per cent of Rochdale.

But campaigners claim that the benefits would be far outweighed by the effect the turbines would have on the community. They claim the windmills would spoil the moors and affect wildlife.

Mr Ian Price, a member of the campaign group, said: "All of Rochdale's area board planning committees have rejected the application, and I am sure that Rochdale's planning councillors will also recommend that councillors object to the application when they meet on December 16."

Friends of Scout Moor are confident that councillors will follow Rossendale Council's recommendations. Although in October of this year councillors sitting on Bury's planning control committee rejected their officers' recommendations and gave their approval for the wind farm. Bury Council, however, is not a consultee in the project.

"I cannot understand why Bury's councillors would do this. If they had followed recommendations it would certainly have strengthened our case," said Mr Price who lives on Kay Brow, Ramsbottom.

Rossendale's planning officers have recommended the application be refused because of the impact the windmills would have on views, the moors, and the potential noise generated by the farm.

Philip Hunt, the wind farm project manager, said a public inquiry hinged on the decisions made by the planning committees of both Rochdale and Rossendale. If they refused the plans, an inquiry would be held.

"A balanced debate on wind power is necessary."