500 against Carlisle wind turbine plan
Last updated at 14:42, Wednesday, 27 August 2008
PLANS to site a windfarm close to a north Cumbrian village appear to have divided the community.
Developers have applied to build three wind turbines, each 115m high, on land at Newlands Farm near Cumwhinton.
A consultation exercise carried out by Carlisle city council has produced 738 responses, with 496 opposing the scheme and 242 in favour.
Carlisle MP Eric Martlew has also expressed his opposition to the scheme, saying the land in question should be given over to industry and housing.
He said today: “I have written to the planners expressing my opposition on those grounds. If Carlisle is to expand that is the logical place for such development to take place. A windfarm would detract from that.
“If you fly above the M6 motorway then it becomes obvious how little development there is to the east of it around Carlisle. The area close to junction 42 is an obvious place for industry to want to locate and that is important for the future prosperity of the city.”
Protestors say the windfarm will have a detrimental affect on the local landscape and property values.
They also fear the turbines, which will be higher than Dixon’s Chimney in Carlisle, will create a noise nuisance and cause health complaints, such as stress, depression, headaches and anxiety.
Others complain that the development will create a danger to low flying military aircraft, which are a regular feature in that part of the world, and threaten local employment and future investment, possibly affecting Carlisle Renaissance.
The company behind the planning application, Bolsterstone Innovative Energy Carlisle Ltd, said the scheme would produce numerous benefits.
They argue that the project will supply enough clean energy for thousands of homes while a community fund of £15,000 per annum – up to £375,000 over the life of the windfarm – will provide valuable services to the local community.
The application will be debated by members of the city council’s development control panel on October 3 and representations are still being accepted.
DGudgeon@cngroup.co.uk
First published at 11:49, Thursday, 21 August 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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one of the reasons cited for not putting a new nuclear power plant in cumbria is that the cost of getting the electricity to the grid would be prohibitive,yet month on month we see more of these windmills being pushed on us..........it tells a tale how little useful electric they produce that the so called crumbling grid in this area can cope with the wind farms outputs...
My guess is if it weren't for the grants available that they would be declared uneconomic and are only wanted to meet some politician led carbon level.We are being led up the garden path by these people and at the same time being fleeced by the major energy producers.
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Aside from industrial development this area needs tourism to provide income and jobs. This vastly overexpensive, inefficient, and very unsightly means of producing energy will destroy the environment we are trying to preserve. All for the profits of the energy companies who have no true altruistic motives, and the greed of the landowners who lease the sites! There are far less intrusive and cheaper methods of producing renewable energy. Finally why are we not investing as much into energy saving as we are into subsidies for energy generation?
Posted by David Miller on 2 September 2008 at 19:38