By Anika Bourley

Last updated at 12:00, Thursday, 17 February 2011

West Cumbrians are doing their bit for the environment in hosting wind turbines but people do not want any more onshore developments, Tony Cunningham told Westminster.

The Workington MP said the area already has offshore wind, plans for nuclear, plans for a barrage and lots of onshore wind and enough was enough.

Speaking in a debate on onshore windfarms he said: “We have done our bit.

“The balance is shifting too far against the environment and the development of tourism and in favour of onshore wind in small clusters, which do not make a huge difference.

“The people of west Cumbria have plans for other forms of energy. They are simply saying that enough is enough.”

Mr Cunningham told MPs how his constituents highlight the lack of turbines in parks in London and ask repeatedly why west Cumbria is the continued point of return.

The Labour MP said there needs to be a balance.

“We are trying to protect the environment in a beautiful part of the world,” he added.

“We are trying to develop tourism not only in the centre of the Lake District, but across in west Cumbria.

“The balance in favour of wind turbines is being overtaken by the need to protect our environment and develop our tourist industry – that is the problem.”

Mr Cunningham added: “The people of west Cumbria would say; ‘we’ve got huge offshore wind turbines, there are plans for a nuclear power station and plans for a barrage across the Solway.

“‘We are doing our bit, not just for Cumbria but for the entire United Kingdom. And yet they will still come to west Cumbria and say; ‘we want to put three turbines in a field, generating enough electricity to boil a kettle on a good day’.’ That is what people get annoyed about.

“Recently, we have had a wind farm constructed offshore. On a good day, it produces probably enough electricity for about half the entire population of Cumbria. On a very good day, it produces even more electricity than that. I think that the people of west Cumbria would say; ‘It’s large, it produces a huge amount of electricity, we’ll put up with it because of the amount of electricity that it produces’.”

Mr Cunningham added that residents were frustrated that, despite serious local opposition, planning inspectors still give go-aheads for turbines.

First published at 11:46, Thursday, 17 February 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk