Bid to turn mill into renewable energy centre

Plans to change Rakewood Upper Mill into a renewable energy centre, including the installation of roof mounted solar panels and the erection of a 30 metre high wind turbine, on land to the east of the mill, will go before Councillors this week.

The mill lies within the Rakewood Conservation Area and occupies the south-eastern corner of the small settlement of Rakewood, 1km south-east of Hollingworth Lake.

The proposed renewable energy centre would be powered by ground source heat generation, hydro power generation, solar photovoltaic power generation and wind turbine power generation.

The plans outline that the majority of the ground floor and all of the first floors areas of the mill would be used as flexible spaces for heritage display and for the delivery of short courses in renewable energy.

The eastern section of the mill building at ground floor level would be used for micro businesses, in about five flexible spaces. The proposals envisage a mixture of businesses involved in the renewable energy field and rural skill-related local trade.

The current textile business would be relocated to the two-storey north range building.

The proposal does not include altering the proposed access arrangements to the mill.

The entrance yard at the south-west corner of the mill building would contain 4 short stay parking spaces while 10 long stay spaces would be located on the eastern side of the mill.

The application has received 18 letters of objection and 11 letters of support. A letter objecting to the proposal has also been received from the Littleborough Civic Trust.

Some of the objections are with regards to appearance, noise and the effect on wildlife.

One objector says the application is ‘purely an attempt to take advantage of the grants/benefits put into place to accelerate a platform of renewables.’

The Littleborough Civic Trust say the output from the turbine would not be worth the damage done to the area, there would be increased traffic on Rakewood Road which would be detrimental to Hollingworth Lake Country Park and that the mill has no redeeming features architecturally.

A report due before Councillors recommends that the plans are given the go ahead, subject to conditions.

The report reads: “The development would facilitate suitable parking and access arrangements and there would be no material effect on local wildlife populations. Although the wind turbine would be visible from some adjacent properties, none would have their outlook so affected that living conditions for the occupants would be unacceptably degraded.

“The submitted noise assessment demonstrates that noise from the wind turbine would not unacceptably harm the living conditions of local residents and it would be sufficiently far away and screened by intervening topography and buildings such that it would not unduly effect the setting on the nearby listed buildings.

“The surplus energy generated by the wind turbine would fund the restoration and conversion of the mill into a renewable energy centre.

“Local Planning Authorities have a duty to preserve and enhance Conservation Areas and the key buildings within them and in permitting the wind turbine allows the restoration of the mill to take place.

“This represents the very special circumstances required to overcome the presumption against development within the green belt."