Windmills

[Angel]

Is it just me thats been driving around with my eyes shut or have the two wind turbines above Hapton just appeared overnight?! Havnt read or heard anything about them til a few weeks ago when I just spotted them as I was driving past. Does anybody know how many are going to be built? I'm not against them, just unaware they were going to be built. My son loves it when we drive past them

[Neal]

There' some being built on the hills also as you cross over the motorway from Padiham. On the right hand side.

I think it's great, they should build them all over the place. Safe, cheap and reliable.

[Angel]

Think they are the same ones, the ones near Hameldon Hill? I think they are a good thing too, was just surprised when I saw them. Should wear my specs more often I think!!

[Brainstormer]

The wind turbines are expensive to operate (when they are actually in operation), they are an eyesore and very unreliable (the output is stated in the planning file as 3.9 Gigawatts but thats only when the turbines are operating at 100% efficiency). The turbines are innapropriately located and should have been placed on the other face of hamelden hill behind those other horrid looking masts.

The turbines at New Barn Farm (Billington Road) are a blot on the landscape, they have a devastating impact on the local landscape and visual amenity and the decision to allow them to be placed so close to urban areas was made not by Burnley Council (who refused them in 2002) but by the planning inspectorate down at Bristol who approved the turbines claiming they met guidance on aiding 'farm diversification' and also met government national targets for the production of renewable energy.

Thats all fine and dandy, so stick em outside WHITEHALL or the house of commons where the WIND really chuffs about the corridors from overpaid overweight buffoons.

I'm sure most like myself support renewable sources of energy, but some common sense should prevail and these turbines should have been located away from areas designated in Burnley's development plan (the turbines fall in these areas). e.g. areas of local archeological interest, nature conservation area etc.
Yes, for a few quid more for a longer cable the turbines could have been better located.

Another 1km of cable and the turbines could have been located on the other side of the hill and been much smaller in height.
The planning inspectors report states Burnley Council's policies on renewable energy and locations for such were shoddy and he/she gave no weight to these policies.

Finally, for those interested, there are to be 3 turbines in total (so there's another one to go up yet), each turbine to the tip of the blade is 91 metres , thats 298 FEET!

HISTORY: In 2002 there were 2 applications for wind farms (turbines), one for 12 turbines and another for 3 turbines (at new hall farm). The inspector refused the application for the 12 and approved the new hall farm 3 turbines in Feb 2004.

Burnley council should have been adamant that the 2 applications were dealt with seperately and on diferent timescales, this didn't happen and clearly the inspector was under pressure to 'choose between the 2', this shouldn't have happened, period.
Reminds me of another A&E scenario where once again Burnley has been pooped on by some paymaster at whitehall who simply ignored the policies and objections from local people and went ahead anyway (fate acompli?)

Like mobile phone masts, once they are up in brown or green belts then thats just another excuse for developers to put more up in these areas, some of which have outstanding natural beauty.
Let me know if you need more info on this, I have the inspectors report (in PDF format) if anyone's interested. :bath:

[Robert]

Things should be different when I visit in a few weeks time, wind turbines and traffic signs.

[Ianw]

Stick them on Clapham Common there is plenty of 'hot air' down there.

[katex]

Well, Brainstorm, always someone willing to moan and groan about the efforts of the community to find a further resource of energy for us, ain't there? Ok, I am not an expert on the blowings of the wind and the best possible site for these turbines, but I find them quite magnificent and pleasant to the eye; look better than those huge electric pylons and cables that run alongside them anyway. Blot on the landscape ? No way.

Seemingly, the people living nearest to these windmills have no objection whatsoever. and they will be feeding over 2,000 Burnley homes.

We have to think of our future generations to help them run the energy in their homes.. computers, lighting, washing machines, etc., etc., .. soon be grumbling if we hadn't made the effort for future resources. Ok I can see you have no objection really to this, however, it's done now, so just accept ... yes, only objection can be the siting of such 'towers' .. but I, like Angel's son ... just love 'em.

[accymel2006]

There will always be difference of opinion as to whether people like them or not, unfortunately we have to consider renewable source of energy to keep the ever so powered society going now & the future.

[katex]

Just a further thought, they are far more graceful than the 'egg cups' that were part of the Huncoat Power Station, don't you think ? And within the panorama.

Mind you, this looks like could be changing soon too into some sort of waste disposal unit .. gotta' go somewhere I suppose.

[Jason]

I used to collect Windmills................then i sold them all and started collecting Shadows memorabilia.

[katex]

Originally Posted by Jason

I used to collect Windmills................then i sold them all and started collecting Shadows memorabilia.

That must be the best conversation stopper I have ever come across Jason ...:yeahright:

[katex]

Spotted another application this month for 4 wind turbines on 'Heaps Moss' in Burnley.. where is that please ? :noidea:

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Jason

I used to collect Windmills................then i sold them all and started collecting Shadows memorabilia.

have you had any treatment since then?..................

[WillowTheWhisp]

Isn't it odd how some people still want the power but don't want to have to look at the things which produce the power?