Wakefield: Coca-Cola's wind turbine plan scrapped

Coca-Cola has scrapped plans for a towering wind turbine at their Wakefield site - after police raised fears it was too near the force helicopter's landing pad.

The soft drinks giant wanted to build a 110-metre high turbine in a bid to make its bottling and distribution centre on the Wakefield 41Industrial Estate cleaner and greener.

But police chiefs said the planned turbine was too close to the force helicopter based at the nearby Carr Gate operational support centre.

Around 200 people backed opposition group 'Save our Skyline' set up by Carr Gate resident and retired RAF officer Mike Grout, 59.

Mr Grout said: "It's a great relief. I'm pleased they have changed their minds. We are not against green energy it was just planned for the wrong place. It was too close to houses. We were worried about noise and it would have ruined the skyline."

Coun Annemarie Glover (Conservative, Wrenthorpe and Outwood West), said: "People were concerned they would have been living in the turbine's shadow."

The company said the turbine could have cut as much as 1,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year at their Wakefield site - the biggest soft drinks factory in Britain.

Richard Davies, vice president for European Operations at Coca-Cola Enterprises said: "The decision not to pursue plans for a wind turbine at Wakefield follows understandable concerns raised by local police about the proximity of the proposed turbine to an emergency services helipad.

"During the consultation process, this issue came to light which made it impossible to continue with our plans at Wakefield.

"We are disappointed; however we would not want to disrupt vital public services in any way.

"We will continue to explore other options for using renewable energy sources at Wakefield and across our operations in Great Britain."