Villagers pledge to fight plan for second wind turbine site

8:54am Saturday 5th July 2008

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By Paul Cook »

VILLAGERS who have vowed to fight plans for nearly a dozen turbines near their homes could face a second wind farm development on their doorstep.

County Durham firm Banks Developments has drawn up proposals to build up to ten turbines on land north-east of Darlington.

The company has started a report for the proposed development, known as the Moor House scheme, between the villages of Barmpton and Brafferton, approximately three miles east of the A1(M).

Detailed proposals are still being drawn up, but it is expected the farm would include up to ten turbines with a maximum height of 125m to the tip of the blades.

A spokesman for Banks Developments said the firm looked across the borough for a site and chose the location because of the suitability of the landscape and the recorded strength of the wind in the area.

He said a full public consultation exercise would be undertaken before a planning application was submitted. An initial public exhibition will take place later in the summer, with local residents being able to add their input to the scheme.

Banks Developments, which operates County Durham's largest wind farm at Tow Law, held discussions with Durham Tees Valley Airport and other consultees about the design and location.

Stuart Provan, senior development planner of Banks Developments, said: "The Tees Valley area has a target of delivering 138MW of energy from renewable sources by 2010, with a goal of doubling this figure by 2020 - the Moor House wind farm would go a long way towards meeting this initial target and would provide enough renewable energy to power thousands of local homes without generating any harmful greenhouse gases.

"The recent Government announcement on the future of energy in the UK highlighted the importance of onshore wind power generation, and we are confident that this scheme will be of significant benefit to both the communities around it and the wider region."

Earlier this year, Billingham- based Pure Renewable Energy announced plans for up to a dozen 100 metre-high turbines at East and West Newbiggin, just a few miles east of the latest proposals.

Councillor Brian Jones, whose Darlington Borough Council ward covers both schemes, welcomed the public consultation.

He said: "We must take into consideration the location, what effect it will have on the local countryside and how efficient they will be.

"There are lots of factors to take into consideration."

Paul Frost, a former television newsreader, is helping villagers near the Newbiggin sites to fight the plans. He expected further opposition to the new scheme, but said the most efficient sites should be sought for wind farms.

He added: "It is not just people who live there. There are ramblers, water skiers, horse riders and other people who use the countryside."