Last updated 08:57, Friday, 17 July 2009
THE Government has announced plans for an extra 6,000 onshore wind turbines across the country by 2020, but there are concerns that West Cumbria could not cope with many more.
The figure was announced on Wednesday by energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband under the Government’s Renewable Energy Strategy.
Mr Miliband also said that 4,000 new offshore turbines must be built over the next decade as the Government looks to invest £100 billion on renewable energy sources including wind power, solar panels and tidal scheme.
Environmental campaigners including Friends of the Earth have welcomed the plans but others have said the new wind farms should be built outside West Cumbria.
The North West is among the regions failing to meet renewable energy targets.
Allerdale has 45 turbines and there are concerns the area has reached saturation.
Permission has been granted for another 14 and plans are being developed for 12 more.
Workington MP Tony Cunningham said he hoped the strategy would not lead to more turbines for his constituency.
He said: “I understand that there has to be renewable energy. There’s a place for wind turbines in that strategy but I’d prefer offshore to onshore and if they’re offshore preferably far enough away that you can’t see them.
“As far as onshore is concerned we have more than our fair share.
“There comes a time when the balance shifts from providing renewable energy to causing detriment to the environment and the tourism.”
He said he supported plans for new nuclear power stations and tidal power.
The strategy includes £11 million to help councils to employ people to push through wind farm applications but Ric Outhwaite, Allerdale council planning and development manager, was not convinced the move would bring about great changes.
He said the council was generally in favour of wind power, but councillors had to consider the environmental benefits alongside the impact on residents, the countryside and tourism.
“We might face more pressure for turbines but it won’t alter the process by which we should consider them,” he said.
“In Allerdale we are producing in the region of 65 per cent of the renewable energy in Cumbria.
“Some might suggest we have done our bit and perhaps it’s for other areas to look at where the turbines should go.
“There’s a capacity issue about how many turbines you can erect before the landscape becomes affected and that’s an issue to consider with any future proposals.”
He said the question was how far the countryside should be sacrificed in favour of the long-term benefits of turbines.
He added that wind farm applications might be better considered by broader authorities like Cumbria County Council, which could consider them over a wider area to avoid wind farms being concentrated in certain districts.
Cumbrian Friends of the Earth spokesman Margaret Sanders said the group welcomed the Government’s announcement, which was a significant step towards the creation of a safe, clean and low-carbon future, but said bolder measures were needed to tackle climate change.
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