VPaterson

Published at 00:00, Friday, 18 January 2008

A CAMPAIGN which gathered 750 letters of support for a proposed windfarm at Westnewton - from people living miles away from the development - has been branded as “worthless” by the local parish council.

Broadview Energy Limited wants to erect five 351 feet tall turbines at Warwick Hall Farm.

But local residents, fearing a windfarm would destroy the area’s beauty and damage the tourist trade, got more than 1,700 letters of objection.

In response, Broadview col lected around 430 signatures from residents and visitors to Workington, and a further 320 from people in Maryport, Wigton and Carlisle, during four days of canvassing opinion.

John Ryden, chairman of Westnewton Parish Council, said: “As far as I can see, the letters are worthless.

“Reports that letters received by the local authority totalled 1,700 against, with only a handful of support, panicked the developer to pay some ‘windfarm warriors’ to stand on the streets of local towns for a number of days to scrape together letters of ‘support’.

“Notably, there was an absence of support from rural areas, as most support came from Workington.”

Jonathan Lincoln and Brian Norris were in Maryport last Thursday soliciting support under the banner Alliance 4 Wind.

They asked people to sign pre-written letters to send to the council in support of the Westnewton project.

Mr Lincoln said they were working alongside Broadview but not for the company.

“We are climate campaigners. We recognise how vital it is to do something about global warming. We have been delighted by the support we have had,” he added.

Broadview’s managing director Jeffrey Corrigan claimed some support from people in Westnewton and Aspatria following a public consultation and exhibition.

He added: “Everyone in Allerdale and Cumbria has a right to comment on the project. What we’re trying to do is get opinions from as wide a range of people as possible.

The company says the scheme will generate enough renewable energy to supply 6,989 households a year.

A spokeswoman for Allerdale council said there was nothing to stop anyone from outside of the area from expressing an opinion, for or against the scheme.

The application will be discussed by the council’s development panel.

Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk