Last updated at 08:54, Tuesday, 09 February 2010

RESIDENTS had their say over plans for a wind farm which could power more than half of Millom.

By Sam Walker (pics)

Renewable energy company Cornwall Light and Power set up a public exhibition yesterday about building six to eight wind turbines in Langthwaite Farm, on the border between Haverigg and Millom.

Steve Allen, development manager for the company, said: “During the consultation there is the opportunity for people to get involved and ask questions.

“We want to build in Millom because it has an excellent wind level.

“We believe wind energy will play a vital role in the country’s sustainable energy mix.

“Wind is clean energy and it will never run out and 80 per cent of a wind turbine can be recycled.

“We just want people’s views and their feedback.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and lots of people think the turbines are beautiful structures.

“People are becoming more aware and are getting used to them as part of the British landscape.”

Mr Allen said that during construction the company would employ firms from the Millom area and bring the turbines into the town by sea.

The exhibition was due to continue today between 10am and 2pm at Millom Network Centre in Salthouse Road.

Once feedback has been gathered, a second exhibition will be held in the summer.

Two options have been put forward.

One option involves six turbines, each with a height of 410 feet (125 metres), and the other option involves eight turbines, each with a height of 100 metres.

According to figures at the exhibition each layout is capable of generating power to sustain 6,500 people out of Millom’s 8,000 population.

Experts at the event also said the energy created would be ploughed back into the “local grid network” and used in Millom.

Haverigg, which has fewer than 2,000 residents, already has an onshore wind farm and more plans are already in the pipeline to build a similar wind farm near Haverigg prison.

Haverigg resident David Senior, who lives in North Lane, said: “I don’t like the look of them from my house.

“We have some near us already and four or five of them do not move half of the time.

“No one has shown me sufficient evidence to prove they are efficient enough.”

The plans come alongside proposals by energy company RWE npower to build a nuclear power plant in Kirksanton, on the outskirts of Millom.

Bert Scurrah, Copeland borough councillor for the Millom Without Parish ward, which includes the town’s outlying villages, said: “Personally I am for this wind farm and I am for nuclear power.

“We all use electricity and I have worked in a lot of coal-fired power stations and this is far superior to them.”

First published at 10:27, Saturday, 06 February 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk