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Wind of change sparks protest
Reporter: RICHARD HOOTON
Date online: 23 November 2009
Action group’s anger at new turbine proposals
Proposals to relax planning rules to make it easier to erect wind turbines have been blasted by a Saddleworth campaigner.
Saddleworth Moor Action Group (SMAG) chairman David Makin fears changes will result in turbines creating eyesores in picturesque areas.
Housing minister John Healey has announced plans to allow wind turbines as high as 15 metres (50ft) on farmland and industrial estates without planning permission.
And applications for solar panels on stadiums, railway stations and offices will be fast-tracked.
Turbines will be approved across large areas of the countryside, providing they meet noise and impact restrictions. The new measures are designed to boost renewable energy.
The Infrastructure Plan-ning Commission (IPC) has already been set up as an independent body to make decisions on applications for nationally-significant infrastructure projects, including large windfarms.
SMAG saw off an application from energy giant E.ON to erect seven 350ft wind turbines above Denshaw and is on stand-by to oppose any fresh application.
While the proposals involve much smaller turbines, Mr Makin fears their installation could encourage further applications and ruin the landscape.
Mr Makin said: “SMAG is on amber alert and ready to renew the fight.
“When E.ON withdrew, that gave them the chance to come back whereas if they had been defeated at a public inquiry they could not have come back.
“The way the planning rules have been relaxed is, in my view, disgusting.
“The IPC is now up and running and, basically, they have the ability to steamroller anything through.
“It is undemocratic. Objections can be overruled and council planning departments will find it very difficult to do anything about it.
“This seeps down to smaller schemes. It gives carte blanche to any person to stick one of these unsightly things up.
“A 50ft-thing stuck on a fixed point in Saddleworth will be visually intrusive. If we had a lot of these it would make the place look ridiculous.”
Mr Makin argues that wind turbines produce little power and are intermittent. He says they don’t save money, but do make a profit for developers.
A farmer on Burnedge Lane has already gained planning permission to erect a wind turbine at the highest point in Saddleworth and Mr Makin added: “It will set a precedent.
“There are other people with plans in the pipeline, all looking over Saddle-worth, Dovestones and the national park.
“People won’t get any benefits and the negative effect on the landscape could be immense.”
Paul Milner, senior planning officer for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is concerned that the proposals do not offer enough protection for important landscapes and says it is vital that local authorities are involved in decisions.
National Alliance of Wind Farm Action Groups spokesman Michael Windridge said wind turbines are not capable of providing a secure and efficient source of renewable energy.
But he added: “People who want to green-proof their homes should get a helping hand.
“Our planning rules need to catch up with changing technologies and allow people to take the small measures that make big differences.”
Comments
These people are pathetic!
They warble on about green issues - yet drive around in petrol-guzzling cars & whine if someone wants to make a real effort to help our environment.
They have escaped from the slums of Oldham & Manchester & want to turn Saddleworth into some sort of Brigadoon!
I don't see anything here about what alternative sources of power SMAG advises, or the National Alliance of Wind Farm Action Groups.
I live in Saddleworth and have no problem with wind turbines....they are the future...we need to get used to it.
It'll be hilarious if climate change turns this country into something like the Doldrums.
Ididsaythat and morgana60 look at the biiger picture. SMAG are not NIMBY's. Eon will build anywhere so long as they get the lucrative grants. They don't care about anything except profit. This is all about the government misusing taxpayer money to feed their pal's wallets.
Try getting a grant for a home wind turbine and you will only get it if you buy from B&Q. However B&Q price including the £500 grant is still dearer than other suppliers. Now I wonder if B&Q are sponsors of the government? You decide. I'll certainly bet that Eon Are.
YAY! GO NIMBY's!
An old man who obviously cares little for the future of the planet because he won't be around to see it! and he's hoping that he won't have to see the wind turbines. People will get benefits regardless of what he says.
Time to change planning regs
Something else for the folk of saddleworth to have a moan about, think these people want to live back in the dark ages, they certainly don't like change
I think David Makin needs to take a trip over to Calderdale (above Ripponden). There the planning committee has approved several provate trubines on 9m or 15m poles. They blend into the landscape surprisingly well. These are surely the future.
By the way I like wind turbines and solar panels and would love to see one on every house. I just don't like the Government manipulating things as important as this for their own greedy purposes.
As an alternative to saddleworth moor, anybody been on the M62 at Scammonden? You could power the whole of Manchester with turbines placed there.
I bet these nimbies would be all for wind farms say they was built in sholver, derker and limeside. they would be doing their best to support the projects in some one elsed back yard. Its about time they put up and shut up! and lets progress.
They'll certainly look better than the scary blue horse thing outside a hotel in that area
These wind turbines seem to be the answer to all our problems!! what I want to know is what happens when these turbines absorb the energy of the wind surely there is a payback with the climate.
I live in a country where if you have a wind turbine and you produce more electricty than you use the power company will buy it back from you. Sorry about your luck.
Build the prison in saddleworth and put the turbines in Chadderton, that will give them something to gripe about!
so if they dont work how come they make profits- clearly they do work, all forms of energy are intermittant and a balanced approach is good news for our future energy security
Have Your Say
Mr Makin misses the key point. The developers get massive government grants to build turbines. How many ministers are directors of these companies.
By Old_Mancunian @ 23/11/2009 12:25:23