A small win for determined citizens?
Dailymail.co.uk: “After blighting the Yorkshire Dales for more than two decades, four giant turbines have been removed from the stunning landscape – the first ever windfarm in Britain to be scrapped.
To the delight of residents and walkers there are once again unspoilt views across the rolling hills and deep blue waters of Chelker Reservoir, near Ilkley.
The eyesores were put up in 1992 by Yorkshire Water to power the reservoir’s pumping stations in the face of fierce local opposition.
He added: ‘It’s been a hell of a fight but we have proved it is possible to stop wind farms.
‘In recent years the turbines have hardly ever worked – they have turned the area into an industrial graveyard…”
Another campaigner, Catherine Leigh said: ‘It is fantastic news – we all know that for three quarters of the time they have been here the turbines have not been working.’ Craven District Council, the local planning authority, turned down a scheme for two bigger turbines to replace the demolished wind farm, after hearing listed buildings would be adversely affected by the ‘intrusive’ machines.
Read more: dailymail.co.uk/
So plans for newer bigger towers were scuttled apparently, by the threat of “Heritage” listing — or rather by the thought of all that red-tape.
In the end, if you are an old building in Craven District the Council will look out for you. If you are a human, not so much.
This says all you need to know about Big-Government Intelligence.
h/t Waxing Gibberish.
Photo: Lynne Kirton Wikimedia.