Last updated at 11:51, Saturday, 07 November 2009

The public are to be given their say on plans to put up seven wind turbines in west Cumbria.

Residents and councillors from Millom and Haverigg have been invited to an exhibition for the HMP Haverigg wind energy project.

Seven 850 kilowatt wind turbines could be installed in the grounds of the prison, facing the Irish Sea and opposite the existing windfarm on the site.

Partnerships for Renewables is holding the first public exhibition for the wind energy project on Wednesday, November 11, at the Haverigg Key Learning Centre, from 2pm until 8pm.

Jerry Sturman, regional manager at Partnerships for Renewables, said: “The aim of this public exhibition is to introduce the project and the project team to local residents, and to outline the environmental and technical studies that will be conducted for this site.

“We would encourage residents who want us to address specific issues or that have particular concerns to come along and talk to us. We are also keen to speak to local environmental groups that are interested in having input into our environmental studies.”

Millom Mayor Joan Hobbs said: “I’m a bit torn really, we don’t want to be surrounded by hundreds of windfarms.

“But on the other hand, where they are proposing putting them, they are going to be seaward side of where the present ones are.

“The firm gave a very good presentation and one of the things that impressed us was that they start public consultations right at the very beginning, they don’t wait until they are part way through and tell people what’s going on.

“It’s going to benefit the community with the payout for each one.”

First published at 09:11, Saturday, 07 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk