Contentious plans for wind turbines objected to by Spotland and Falinge Area Forum

Coronation Power’s plans for a wind farm on Rooley Moor

Spotland and Falinge Area Forum saw a large turnout on Thursday 21 May. Not since the debate over Ding Quarry had attendance been so high, and the reason for this was just as contentious – the plans submitted by Coronation Power to erect eight or 12 wind turbines along the historic Rooley Moor Road.

The strength of feeling over the issue was obvious as local residents Alan Rawsthorne and Andy Meek, and John Newcombe of the Prickshaw and Broadley Fold Action Group outlined their main reasons for rejecting the plans.

These include:

• The logistics of hundreds of huge HGVs travelling through the residential neighbourhood and the hamlet of Catley Lane Head with all the accompanying health and safety issues.
• Disruption to local traffic.
• The impact on Rooley Moor Road itself, known as the Cotton Famine Road and a legacy of the area’s past.
• The loss of amenity and grazing on the common land.
• Building on Rochdale’s Green Belt.
• Threats to habitat and wildlife.
• Unacceptable loss of visual amenity including the cumulative effect with other wind farms in the vicinity and adjacent Scout Moor.
• Huge disruption to public rights of way especially the Mary Towneley Loop of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail.
• The impact on conservation areas and listed buildings in Whitworth and Prickshaw and the devaluing of house prices.

It appears that council planners have recommended refusal of the application and it must now go before the Township committees and the Licensing & Regulatory Committee on 25 June.

The Spotland and Falinge Forum showed that the overwhelming feeling among residents is of objection to the plans and campaigners urge the public to make their presence felt at the Township meetings:

• Rochdale Township on 1 June at Number One Riverside, Rochdale – 6.15pm
• Heywood Township on the 2 June at The Phoenix Centre, Heywood – 6.15pm
• Pennines Township on 3 June at Number One Riverside, Rochdale – 6.15pm
• Licensing and Regulatory Committee on 25 June at Number One Riverside, Rochdale - 6.15pm