REVISED plans to create a windfarm in Rossendale have been submitted to council chiefs.

The number of turbines proposed for the site near Hogshead Law Hill, Bacup, has been cut from 12 to nine, but the turbine blades will be larger to provide a third more power than previously envisaged.

The windfarm would provide enough power to meet the annual needs of around 6,000 homes in the area or more than 40 per cent of the households in Bacup, according to Renewable Energy Systems (RES), the company behind the scheme.

The decision to reduce the number of proposed turbines was reached after lengthy consultations in the area, including an exhibition last year.

An information leaflet was sent to 22,500 homes in the area last summer in one of the most comprehensive public consultations ever held for a windfarm development.

The leaflet also included details of a planning application by RES - part of the Sir Robert McAlpine construction group - to create a 13-turbine windfarm at Great Hill, near Littleborough, as well as a detachable freepost comment card. RES said that of the almost 1,500 replies, 60 per cent were in favour of one or both of the schemes.

At Hogshead the turbine blades would be bigger than originally planned, although the height of the turbines will stay at 45 metres, so each one generates more power.

Chris Shears, project manager at RES, said: "Technological development means that for a small increase in turbine rotor size we can generate the same amount of power with only nine turbines.

"We feel the scheme successfully addresses the issues raised during our extended consultation period and represents a further valuable contribution towards combating climate changes."

RES is also considering creating a windfarm at Blacko, near Nelson, although no plans have yet been submitted.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.