Opponents anger as 200ft wind mast is given the go-ahead

12:25pm Thursday 12th April 2012 in News

An energy firm has claimed a victory in the first battle to build a wind farm on “one of the world’s most famous landscapes” on moorland in Bronte country.

Bradford Council yesterday allowed developers Banks Renewables to build a 200ft wind monitoring mast, which is expected to pave the way for a “devastating” wind farm of four 330ft turbines on Thornton Moor, Denholme.

Councillors gave the scheme the green light despite huge opposition from campaigners and the Bronte Society, who said the structure would “deface” views across the “culturally and historically significant” moorland.

However, Banks Renewables said a wind farm would involve £3.8 million of investment and produce enough electricity to power 4,400 homes to address 21st century energy challenges.

The planning application for a test mast – to gather wind data ahead of a full planning application for the turbines – was agreed at a meeting of Shipley Area Planning Panel yesterday.

Anthea Orchard, of Denholme Gate, chairman of Thornton Moor Wind Farm Action Group, which is fighting to preserve the moor, told the meeting at Shipley Town Hall: “While this is a temporary mast, it will inevitably lead to the construction of something much larger, permanent and devastating for this community.”

Councillor Simon Cooke, who spoke against the application, said: “There is nowhere else in the world with this kind of landscape and I for one do not want to see it lose its uniqueness, simply to satisfy urban demand.”

Councillor Tony Maw, of Oxenhope Parish Council, said regeneration of the area, including using the moors as a tourist destination, was vital for the future of the area’s rural economy.

He said: “People who come and stay in Oxenhope are enchanted by the surrounding moorland and a mast by its height and the fact that it is a man-made structure will impact on the character of the area.”

Councillor Imdad Hussain (Lab, Heaton), said: “I think we have got the situation here where members of the public are against something because it is in their back gardens.”

The application was approved by four votes to two.

Comments(12)

mr-dog says...
12:32pm Thu 12 Apr 12

There doesn't appear to be a breath of wind in Bradford today.

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scanipoos says...
5:10pm Thu 12 Apr 12

I think it would be better to put solar roof panels on everyone's roof ..problem solved.
I know Ide be happy to have the panels on mine

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collos25 says...
5:17pm Thu 12 Apr 12

A decision made by people who have no technical knowledge.
These tax payer funded pieces of rubbish produce only profits for the company that owns them profit provided by the taxpayer.Having analysed all the registered units within the EU when one takes away all grants they produce zero profit they also produce so little genuine power that their payback is over 100years.If ever the the public was been conned its like the emperors new cloths.To think that this money could be used for something usefull instead it is lining the pockets of fat cat bankers and Power providers.

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Will-It-Ever-End says...
5:28pm Thu 12 Apr 12

In 100 years time these masts will be historical news items illustrating how primitive man, meaning us lot, tried to generate electricity by using wind farms. In the year 3012 schoolboys will be taught in maths lessons that even if the wind blew at hurricane strength for 365 days a year the electricity generated by them was so costly that the whole project was totally uneconomic and doomed from day one. The give-away-clue is these masts will generate enough power for just 4400 homes. And bear in mind they are 330 foot high! thats like having another Ferrybridge Power station in our own backyard. Moors need to be protected from industrial use, they are national treasures we can turn into national parks for the advancement of wildlife, if you were a rabbit, hare, deer, badger, swallow, swift or robin would you nest near them? If they are erected then we are interfering with our heritage and one needs to ask why?

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collos25 says...
5:37pm Thu 12 Apr 12

4400 I think they put the decimal point in the wrong place these will not produce enough constant power for 440 homes.To think that the council was conned shows that they did no homework but relied on figures produced by those with a vested interest.

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upnorthisbest says...
6:07pm Thu 12 Apr 12

Nobody seems to complain about the turbines on ogden moor anymore, and each time i drive in and around Thornton another turbine sprouts up next to a farmhouse. Wouldn`t be so bad if you could disguise them as mature trees with huge rotating branches, but looking at the alternatives, do we have a choice? Anyone want a nuclear power station or open cast mine next door? Maybe once fully up and running the company could donate a percentage of profits to the local community.

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Tinybantam says...
7:07pm Thu 12 Apr 12

Wow.....really....en
ough power for 4,400 homes....I don't honestly think so. Wind turbines are notoriously hit and miss. If there is no wind, then no power, and if the wind blows too hard, which is highly likely, given the position of these turbines, then they have to be switched off, otherwise they spin too fast and catch fire. As for councillor Hussian, his remark about people being nimby's is totally thoughtless because he has obviously not thought about the visual impact that these towers would make on the beautiful and unique lanscape of Thornton Moor. If he is not really that bothered then why don't they erect one in his back yard.....then let's see if he still has the same opinion.

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OuchOuch says...
8:04pm Thu 12 Apr 12

This might be useful for the objectors - the results of a study on the impact on birds of wind turbine construction and operation http://onlinelibrary
.wiley.com/doi/10.11
11/j.1365-2664.2012.
02110.x/full

It shows that some ground- nesting birds are particularly affected during the construction phase. Is Thornton Moor an important site for some bird species?

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mogpick4 says...
8:35pm Thu 12 Apr 12

Agree with you all and nice to have some comments in our favour! Ouchouch - thanks for the link. Anyone interested should do a google search for Thornton Moor Windfarm - The campaign page is the top link....and you could sign our petition whilst you're there :)

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markjoe says...
11:57am Fri 13 Apr 12

How come when someone objects to a planning application near their homes they immediately called a NIMBY, without reading what the objections are. Also if the local community don't speak up for their area who else will, someone who live 100miles away. I think the comment by Councillor Imdad Hussain shows this point exactly. The objections are about the lack of power produced about the wind farm and also the look of them not fitting in with the environment.

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NOTSOCOMMENSENSE says...
1:51pm Fri 13 Apr 12

upnorthisbest wrote:
Nobody seems to complain about the turbines on ogden moor anymore, and each time i drive in and around Thornton another turbine sprouts up next to a farmhouse. Wouldn`t be so bad if you could disguise them as mature trees with huge rotating branches, but looking at the alternatives, do we have a choice? Anyone want a nuclear power station or open cast mine next door? Maybe once fully up and running the company could donate a percentage of profits to the local community.
How about the alternative of hydro power like Norway who get 95% of their power this way.More pleasent on the eye and with all the extra dams and reservoirs we could maybe go a month or two without the threat of hose pipe bans which with the amount of rain nationwide we shouldn't really need,and no possibilaty of an earthquake rupturing a nuclear facility (germany has now outlawed any new nuclear why haven't we)Just a mad idea

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Albion. says...
3:37pm Fri 13 Apr 12

NOTSOCOMMENSENSE wrote:
upnorthisbest wrote:
Nobody seems to complain about the turbines on ogden moor anymore, and each time i drive in and around Thornton another turbine sprouts up next to a farmhouse. Wouldn`t be so bad if you could disguise them as mature trees with huge rotating branches, but looking at the alternatives, do we have a choice? Anyone want a nuclear power station or open cast mine next door? Maybe once fully up and running the company could donate a percentage of profits to the local community.
How about the alternative of hydro power like Norway who get 95% of their power this way.More pleasent on the eye and with all the extra dams and reservoirs we could maybe go a month or two without the threat of hose pipe bans which with the amount of rain nationwide we shouldn't really need,and no possibilaty of an earthquake rupturing a nuclear facility (germany has now outlawed any new nuclear why haven't we)Just a mad idea
There have been hydro power installations in Scotland for several decades, There have been a variety of attempts at wave power in this country but they usually seem to fall victim to NIMBYism.

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