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‘Small turbines lead to big ones’
Credit: By James Johnson, The Cumberland News, www.cumberlandnews.co.uk 3 February 2012 ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
Anti-windfarm campaigners fear two proposals for small turbines in the Wigton area could pave the way for larger developments.
A design and access document has been submitted to Allerdale Council on behalf of Earthmill Renewable Energy Solutions, stating that power from turbines at Thornby Farm would be used for poultry and livestock needs, with the remainder sold to the commercial grid.
There are also plans from Entrust planning consultants for a single 27m turbine near High Aketon.
Anti-windfarm campaigners, objecting to the increasing number of smaller turbine developments in the Wigton area, say if these proposals were approved it would make it harder to refuse plans for bigger turbines.
Marion Fitzgerald, of Friends of Rural Cumbria’s Environment (Force), says that small developments could change the classification of the landscape and make larger turbines impossible to oppose on environmental grounds.
The Thornby proposal is comprised of two 50kw turbines while the High Aketon unit would be in addition to an existing 27m, 20kw turbine.
The two developments are not classed by the council as ‘large’ and are not on the scale of some other proposals in the area, such as a proposed 80m turbine at Lane Head or the proposed farm at Little Waver, which would consist of eight turbines up to 110m tall.
Although it is argued that the developments are not a direct threat to the environment or landscape, Mrs Fitzgerald is worried by the increasing number of small and medium turbine applications.
She said: “This is a dangerous time for the very many of us who value the landscape of north Cumbria.
“Applications for single large turbines are cropping up all over the place, and are much too big to be considered domestic.
“These are commercial enterprises – there can be no doubt about it. We really need to wake up to what is going on here before enough of them come under the radar and bring about a permanent landscape change.”
She added: “Allerdale needs a solid local plan which recognises that we already have a great many turbines and places restriction on further development.
“It is time for people living in the area to ask themselves what they really want.
“We are about to lose the tranquility and beauty which the majority of our visitors value so greatly.”
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