Published at 19:31, Thursday, 27 August 2009

ANGRY residents continued their fight against plans to build a wind farm near Aspatria at a public exhibition.

Friendly persuasion: Project manager Greg Small, left, with Bothel Parish Council vice-chairman Victor DeQuincey at the Threapland Lees wind farm proposal public exhibition

BT representatives attended the exhibition at Bothel Village Hall last Friday and Plumbland Village Hall on Saturday to discuss plans to build four 410-feet turbines at Threapland Lees.

The turbines would be almost twice the size as those already at Bothel and would be as close as 1,640 feet from some homes.

The planned turbines would be more than 100 feet taller than St Paul’s Cathedral in London and would be clearly seen from nearby Plumbland and Threapland.

Protesters from Threapland Turbine Action Group (TTAG) produced stickers featuring the slogan “No wind turbines within 2km”.

The group also handed out an information pack on what the installation of the turbines could mean for the area.

TTAG member Liz Williams said: “We don’t want them as close to our properties.

“None of the photographs in the exhibition have been taken from our house and some of them are misleading.”

She added that she had health concerns about the turbines.

“There is increasing evidence to suggest that proximity has an effect on people’s health and that low frequency vibrations from turbines can cause sleeplessness and headaches,” she said.

Alan Clouston, of Threapland, said: “Consultation is not consultation: it’s them telling us what they want to do.

“We are not saying ‘not in our backyards’. We are saying ‘not in anybody’s backyard’.

“We are not Luddites and are looking for a reasonable solution to the problem.”

He added that he felt too many were condensed in a narrow strip in West Cumbria because wind farm companies were not permitted to erect turbines in areas of outstanding natural beauty further inland.

Donald Patterson, of Nelson Street, Maryport, said: “They shouldn’t be building any more in Cumbria. Every corner you turn they are there. Enough is enough.”

Andy Riley, head of partnership development for BT, said: “The purpose of today is to be open and honest.

“I won’t pretend that you won’t be able to see them but as a reasonable company we will follow our guidelines in all areas.

“Concerns will be recognised if people make their views known to the planning authority.”

BT has commissioned an environmental impact study that will look at issues including noise and visual impact.

The turbines would generate enough electricity to power 5,500 households.

The exhibitions included diagrams, photographs, maps and digital images of the proposed site.

The proposals are in the development phase and no formal planning application has yet been submitted to Allerdale council.

Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk