2:34am Thursday 20th March 2008
By Dan Webber
A row has erupted over a charity's plans to construct a 15m-high wind turbine to help power a £4.6m centre for young people disaffected with mainstream education.
A former landfill site off Rooley Avenue will soon be home to the headquarters of The Lighthouse Group. The social enterprise charity works with young people aged 13 to 21 who are excluded, or at risk of being excluded, from school.
After consulting teen-agers, the charity planned to construct a wind turbine on the site to power a third of its lighting.
Bradford Council's planning panel yesterday rejected the proposal to build the turbine on a site 60m away from homes in Parkway, off Trevor Foster Way.
Resident John Smith, who lives on Parkway, organised a petition against the siting of the turbine and wrote letters of objection.
Outlining his views to yesterday's meeting, Mr Smith said: "Well before you see wind turbines you can feel them. I am not a Luddite and not against technology or progress - my only problem is where it is located.
"If the turbine was at the top of the end of the site near the M606 there would not be a problem."
Tim Morfin, The Lighthouse Group's chief executive, also addressed the panel.
He said: "We consulted on the plans and young people felt strongly on the need for renewable energy.
"We had not anticipated this would be controver-sial. We have moved the turbine 10m further away and commissioned a noise report."
Mr Morfin said there was not a turbine "currently available" which could be placed on top of the building and would create the same energy.
Councillors called on The Lighthouse Group to submit a new application with the turbine moved to the opposite side of the charity's sight. Mr Smith said he would not object to the new proposal.
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