Rethink on Waddington wind turbine scheme
Lancashire Telegraph|Nazia Parveen|April 16, 2010
Plans for a 12metre-high wind turbine in a Ribble Valley beauty spot have been withdrawn following protests from councillors and residents. But applicant Stephen Tasker, who runs green energy company Energever, has vowed to resubmit the application for the alternative energy source within the Forest of Bowland, a designated Area of Natural Beauty.
Plans for a 12metre-high wind turbine in a Ribble Valley beauty spot have been withdrawn following protests from councillors and residents. But applicant Stephen Tasker, who runs green energy company Energever, has vowed to resubmit the application for the alternative energy source within the Forest of Bowland, a designated Area of Natural Beauty.
Plans for a 12metre-high wind turbine in a Ribble Valley beauty spot have been withdrawn following protests from councillors and residents.
But applicant Stephen Tasker, who runs green energy company Energever, has vowed to resubmit the application for the alternative energy source within the Forest of Bowland, a designated Area of Natural Beauty.
Mr Tasker, 49, first tried to build a turbine on his 35-acre farm, Cuttock Clough Barn, Waddington, in 2007.
That application was thrown out by planners citing noise pollution and a detrimental effect on the scenery.
Recently, the father-of three submitted another application for a 10kw turbine to provide green energy for his home.
He decided to withdraw it after objections from West …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Plans for a 12metre-high wind turbine in a Ribble Valley beauty spot have been withdrawn following protests from councillors and residents.
But applicant Stephen Tasker, who runs green energy company Energever, has vowed to resubmit the application for the alternative energy source within the Forest of Bowland, a designated Area of Natural Beauty.
Mr Tasker, 49, first tried to build a turbine on his 35-acre farm, Cuttock Clough Barn, Waddington, in 2007.
That application was thrown out by planners citing noise pollution and a detrimental effect on the scenery.
Recently, the father-of three submitted another application for a 10kw turbine to provide green energy for his home.
He decided to withdraw it after objections from West Bradford Parish Council and a number of neighbours, who claimed the structure would blight the landscape.
Mr Tasker said: “We are preparing another application for a turbine which will be placed within some woods so that it does not offend anyone.
“We have compromised a lot with the proposals because we would like to keep everybody happy.
"There is so much misunderstanding about turbines and quite a lot of confusion about what level of noise is acceptable.
“I have found that people have a really negative opinion without really understanding how they work and how inoffensive they can be.
"They just need to give them a chance.” Mr Tasker, started his green energy company with headquarters in the Salthill Industrial Estate in Clitheroe and a manufacturing wing in Stratford-upon-Avon four years ago.
He said most people were being put off from being environmentally friendly due to a struggle with local authorities.
“It is a sad state of affairs that there is so much negative thinking from people who make planning and policy decisions on environmental issues,” he said.
“I do not want to fight my neighbours and so my new application will make sure that there is zero noise from the turbine and people will not be able to see it.”
Coun Michael Ranson, leader of Ribble Valley Council, said: “If Mr Tasker has decided to withdraw the plans that’s his decision.
“I would much prefer renewable energy to come from underground or hydropower.
"The efficiency of wind turbines is questionable.”
The new application is due to be submitted in May.