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College turbine puts wind up residents

Sue Carr
12/12/2007

PLANS to build a wind turbine at Ashton Sixth Form College have got residents in a spin.

The college originally applied to build two wind turbines on playing fields behind its building on Darnton Road.

But despite cutting the number to one, the college’s attempts to go green have been met with concern from people living near the site.

Tameside Council has received 16 letters objecting to the structure consisting of a 24m tall turbine with 5m long blades rotating horizontally on the top.

Concerns include noise, the loss of playing fields and the height which could affect the flightpath of birds. They also complain that the turbine will be a huge blot on the landscape.

Planners were due to consider the case at a meeting yesterday (Wednesday) and are expected to give it their approval as long as noise is kept below a certain level.

A report by the head of planning states: "The council’s planning policies support and encourage developments to provide renewable sources of energy where these will not be an unacceptable intrusion on the surrounding landscape and will not affect unacceptably the amenities of neighbours.

"In this instance the location is within the built-up area so there will be no effect on the natural landscape.

"The development would clearly have a visual impact in so much as it would be a highly visible and prominent structure. This is not to say however that the visual impact would be unacceptable."

The government recently announced plans for wind turbines to power every home by 2020 as part of the fight against climate change.

Ashton MP David Heyes said: "It’s always a difficult balance to strike between protecting the environment and looking at green ways to generate power.

"I think it is an enterprising idea by the college but I hope it will be sensitive to the concerns of local residents."