Scout Moor expansion ‘harms landscape’
THE Government has overturned a huge expansion of the Scout Moor wind farm, nine months after a public inquiry.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid MP overturned Rossendale council’s decision to approve a further 14 wind turbines in Rossendale - part of plans to take the whole site to 42 turbines.
Developers had argued that the extra turbines would generate power for around 22,500 homes and bring in more than £11 million to the local economy.
Supporting planning inspector John Woolcock’s recommendation to refuse the expansion following last October’s inquiry, Mr Javid cited the main issues of the character and appearance of the landscape, and heritage assets as the reasons behind his refusal. In his decision notice, Mr Javid stated that the proposed turbines would have a “significant adverse effect on the landscape character and visual amenity.”
It adds: “He considers that the overall benefits of the scheme would not be sufficient to also outweigh the harm identified to the character and appearance of the area, which attracts significant weight against the proposal.”
Mr Javid said he was ‘minded to approve’ two additional turbines in Rochdale with a maximum height of 115 metres - subject to conditions - however it is believed that these would not be commercially viable without the Rossendale approval.
Scout Moor Wind Farm Expansion Ltd was a joint enterprise between Peel Energy and United Utilities, but the utility company pulled out of the project last February.
Jonathan England, development director at Peel Energy Ltd, said: “As you would expect, Peel Energy is very disappointed with the decision and will spend some time considering in detail both the inspector’s and the Secretary of State’s comments and conclusions before making any further statements.”
Rossendale council had approved the application in September 2015 but the plans drew hundreds of objections from residents, and both Rossendale MP Jake Berry and Ramsbottom MP David Nuttall launched petitions opposing it.
Mr Berry said: “The thousands of people who supported the campaign to stop the extension of Scout Moor wind farm will be delighted that the inspector has upheld their view that the proposed turbines would have had a significant adverse effect on the landscape character and visual amenity of the Rossendale Valley.”
Campaigner Graham Wright, from Waterfoot, said the community was very surprised to have won its ‘David and Goliath’ battle.
He said: “As you can imagine the people that were against are over the moon - I think we’d all been a bit pessimistic but it’s brilliant that the inspector listened to those brave people who stood up at the public enquiry, and that all their efforts were worthwhile. It’s a fantastic result for us and for Rossendale.”