High Pow 2

= Current situation =

6th January 2014

We are off to a good start for the New Year as the application for eight additional turbines at High Pow was withdrawn just before Christmas. The rather ‘sour grapes’ withdrawal letter is, at the time of writing, the last but one item on the following web page:

http://planning.allerdale.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=107587

It makes interesting reading but our relief at this outcome must be tempered by the fact that REG are obviously planning to come back with a fresh proposal in the not distant future.

Friends of Rural Cumbria’s Environment(FORCE)take this opportunity to thank everyone who submitted an objection to the application. If it had become a reality, it would have been disastrous for local residents in terms of visual intrusion, noise and shadow flicker, with a massively detrimental effect on the local landscape. It would have also been a major contributor to the cumulative impact of wind energy which we are currently experiencing in Allerdale.

The number of objections had topped 300 by the time the application was withdrawn, for which we are very grateful and appreciative. It really does make all the difference and we hope that we can count on our members' continued support when a new application to extend High Pow makes its appearance. We will of course circulate the information as soon as this happens.

10th November 2013

Many thanks to everyone who has written to Allerdale Borough Council objecting to the proposal to increase the size of High Pow Wind Farm from three turbines to eleven. There are now approximately 250 objections which can be viewed by following this link:

http://planning.allerdale.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=107587

In addition to this, we have raised a petition of approximately 400 signatures which will be submitted to the Council in due course. The petition, once submitted, will be a powerful objection in its own right. It will, however, be counted only as one single objection.

That is why we request that, if you have added you name to the petition, you now take just a few minutes to submit an individual objection. This is very easy to do. Simply use the link above which will take you directly to the relevant page on the Council’s website. Then, click where it says ‘comment on application’ and follow the instructions. Only a couple of sentences are necessary to sum up your objection. Don’t forget to click on the box which confirms that you ‘object’ to the proposal.

Here are some ideas which you may wish to use in your objection:

• Landscape – perhaps you are of the opinion that an extension to the existing wind farm at High Pow would have a major negative impact on the landscape, significantly altering its rural character.

• Residential Amenity – many local residents are already suffering loss of amenity due to the three existing turbines as a result of noise and shadow flicker. The Council is still dealing with an outstanding noise complaint. Enlarging the wind farm will cause problems for more residents as well as worsening the discomfort of those who are already affected.

• Cumulative Impact – there can be no question that Allerdale now accommodates a large amount of wind energy development. A recent inquiry conducted by the Council has confirmed that Allerdale contains 62% of the onshore wind turbines in the county of Cumbria. Unsurprisingly, all of this development has now created a substantial cumulative effect. This applies to the number of turbines which are visible in particular views and also to the sequential cumulative impact which is experienced when travelling through the Borough. Adding a further eight turbines to the existing three at High Pow will obviously exacerbate the situation.

• Other Issues – Negative effects which you may wish to consider include the impact on wildlife and potential problems with surface water and television reception. In the emerging Local Plan, the Council has stated its ambition to foster and enhance the tourist economy. You may feel that this ambition is incompatible with the ongoing proliferation of wind turbines in the area.

Please do add any of your own individual concerns. It is important to stress that the benefits claimed by the developer would not outweigh the damage caused by the eight additional turbines.

There are currently fifteen outstanding appeals relating to wind energy developments in Allerdale. Some of these have been with the Inspectorate for a year or more. We understand that the Minister for Communities and Local Government has slowed the process down deliberately so that his department can review exactly what is happening. We hope that the results of this process will prove positive for areas like Allerdale where the proliferation of wind turbines has continued without much restraint in recent years.

1st August 2013

A full application for eight additional turbines has been received by Allerdale Borough Council. The details are now available online. The application can be viewed by following this link:

http://planning.allerdale.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=107587

Friends of Rural Cumbria's Environment have worked hard in recent years to offer help and advice to other groups who have found themselves facing inappropriate wind energy applications in Allerdale and beyond. We hope that we can now count on the support of those we have assisted.

If this application were to be granted, the impact on the landscape would be immense, affecting a considerable area of Allerdale as well as the views into and out from the Lake District and Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Please do not be put off by the number of documents which make up the application. It really isn't necessary to read them all. The main arguments against the scheme - apart from the misery that the existing three turbines are already causing to local residents - are surely the landscape impact and cumulative impact alongside Wharrels Hill, Tallentire and other schemes already operational or consented which are/will be visible from the application site itself or from nearby.

The simplest way to object is to click where it says 'comment on application,' fill in a few details and then write a sentence or two of objection. Don't forget to click on the box which confirms that you wish to object.

If you would prefer to write a little more, then it might be advisable to email the case officer, Rebecca Wilson, at

[mailto:planning@allerdale.gov.uk planning@allerdale.gov.uk]

Your comments can be sent as an attachment to the email. Don't forget to include the application reference number.

The consultation end date is currently displayed as 19th August. Obviously with an application of this size, we will be allowed more time than this but it is nevertheless a good idea to get plenty of early objections in. The FORCE objection is currently being worked on and will be divided into several sections dealing with different aspects of the application.

10th February 2013

REG have finally submitted a request for a scoping opinion with the intention of extending High Pow Wind Farm. We have been expecting this since the announcement last year that REG had purchased Your Energy’s interest in the Little Waver site which is adjacent to the existing wind farm at High Pow. The submission of a scoping request is simply a means of asking the Council exactly what information will be required in the full application. It would appear that the application, when it does arrive, will be for up to seven turbines in addition to the existing three. So there can be no question that this would be a major development. If you would like to look at the scoping request, please follow this link:

http://planning.allerdale.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=102761

Comments can be submitted even at this early stage and we are currently in the process of preparing a response from FORCE as an organisation. We welcome individual comments too but it is fine if you prefer to wait until the full application arrives. At that stage, we will be encouraging every member to object to the extension of this wind farm which is already bringing misery to its neighbours!

June 2012

REG have purchased Your Energy's Little Waver Wind Farm project on land adjacent to High Pow. This is unlikely to make much difference to the total number of turbines we will be fighting but local campaigners should perhaps feel some relief that they will now be up against one major developer rather than two at the same time. We are awaiting REG's announcement of public exhibition dates when their plans will be unveiled. Presumably Little Waver will now be treated as an extension to High Pow.

11th January 2012

REG are currently conducting noise monitoring tests (throughout all the recent gales and storms!) in relation to the noise complaint. No dates for a public exhibition on High Pow 2 so far. However, REG are holding an exhibition in Millom for the proposed wind farm there. This will take place on Friday 13th at Kirksanton Village Hall 2 - 8pm and also on Saturday 14th from 9am - 1pm at Millom Network Centre, Salthouse Road, Millom. Obviously FORCE will be paying a visit.

November 2011

Nothing further has been heard from REG since their noise monitoring phase for the three proposed turbines ended several weeks ago. FORCE can reveal that there is already a noise complaint relating to the three existing turbines. This was first submitted to Allerdale in early 2010, having previously been reported to REG with little response. Thirteen households are affected and at least four of them have taken matters further. Allerdale's Environmental Health Protection Department is currently dealing with this. We understand that noise monitoring equipment will shortly be installed at the properties in question.

October 2011

Noise monitoring is now complete and we wait to see what REG's next move will be!

Tuesday 23rd August 2011

Matt Olley, a development manager from REG (formerly known as Cornwall Light and Power) visited several properties in close proximity to the wind farm to install sound monitoring equipment. The hardware was actually put in place by a company called Hayes McKenzie which specialises in acoustics. Also present was a representative from Allerdale's Department of Environmental Health who had come to oversee the process because Allerdale is currently dealing with a noise complaint submitted by several local residents in relation to the exisiting three turbines.

In answer to questions posed to him by members of FORCE, Matt Olley was able to tell us that REG are likely to be applying for three more turbines as soon as they have the noise data - so this is likely to be within weeks rather than months. REG is also planning to put on a public exhibition in Boltons Parish Hall along similar lines to the one held by Your Energy back in July. Your Energy is the developer proposing to build eight turbines on land adjacent to High Pow (Please see page on Little Waver for further information).

We were also able to establish that the three new turbines are likely to be more or less in line with the existing ones, except that one of them will be on the opposite side of the road, closer to High Pow Farm. They will be towards the north but not in the next field as it does not belong to the same landowner. They will therefore be two fields CLOSER to the villages of Bolton Low Houses and Bolton New Houses than the existing turbines.

 Older Information 

A scoping has been carried out by Cornwal Light and Power (REG) with a view to doubling the size of the existing wind farm from 3 turbines to 6. This is in close proximity to the seperate development proposed at Little Waver for 8 turbines by Your Energy.

http://planning.allerdale.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=81742

To date there has been no public consultation by CLP but at a public exhibition by Your Energy held at Boltons Parish Hall on 12th and 13th July, 115 signatures were collected as a petition opposing both developments.

Please see the Little Waver page for details.

http://www.cumbriawindwatch.co.uk/index.php/Little_Waver

An action group is in the process of being formed, and we will update this page as the situation changes.

Interestingly we note that the agent acting on behalf of CLP is the former head of planning at Allerdale Borough Council, Ric Outhwaite. Some of his views, whilst working for Allerdale, on the proliferation of windfarms can be read in the following articles:

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/turbines-takeover-1.340009?referrerPath=home/2.1962

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/no-limit-on-wind-turbines-1.5244?referrerPath=home/2.1962