The Windfarm Battle Continues

Date published: 10/12/2004

The battle continues against plans for a 26-turbine windfarm, intended for high ground between Scout Moor and Knowl Hill.

Protestors and Councillors gathered at St. Paul’s Church Hall, Norden, on Thursday 9 December, for the evening meeting of the ongoing public inquiry. Leading the inquiry was government planning inspector Keith P Durrant.

Councillor Jane Gartside emphasised the potential consequences for disturbing the Moorland, “Norden has become an urban place. It’s a place of houses, pubs and businesses, where people choose to come and live. The people here are attracted to the moors. Just simple pleasures like bird watching and walking; this would not be possible with great big turbines in the way”.

The vast majority at the meeting agreed: the view of Scout Moor is clearly of great value to local people. However, are the objections to windfarms just because they are an ‘eyesore’? Local spokesperson Kate Slingsby stated that this is not the case: “Scout Moor is in view to most of Rochdale, and so yes it’s a fact that the windfarm would be an eyesore. However, there are other reasons – the value of houses would decrease wherever the development is in view; it would put people off. The Moors are the best tourist attraction in the north, and there are plans to ruin them with windfarms

Despite the negative response at the inquiry, a local person in favour of the windfarm said, “There is no doubt in my mind that windfarms are a sensible idea, we are currently creating problems using fossil fuels and they are a finite resource, therefore seeking alternatives is essential. The problem with windfarms is where to put them. People are usually in favour of a windfarm until they find they may have to live close to one. However, that is a short-time, somewhat selfish, viewpoint. It’s the next generation that the protestors need to think about. What’s more important – having a walk on the moors, or future generations having electricity?”

Paul Preston of Sudden, a regular walker on the moors, had an interesting view: “I am in favour of wind energy, but this particular plan is intending to use common land that is used by everyone. They want to put a 26-turbine windfarm up there, I don’t agree with the environmental impact that this would have. There are better places, such as brown earth sites, that could be used and thereby distribute them across a larger area and minimise the impact.”

The inquiry continues...