Application to change access to Crook Hill wind farm

Rochdale Council has received two new planning applications relating to the Crook Hill wind farm proposals near Wardle and Littleborough.

Planning permission for a 12 turbine wind farm was granted by the Secretary of State on appeal following a public inquiry held in 2009.

Now, the developer, Coronation Power, want to make alterations to the means of access to the site.

The number, height and positions of the wind turbines in both applications remains as approved.

The first application received by the Council is to make minor alterations to the alignment and widths of parts of the access track layout. These are mainly on the higher areas of the moor, where the turbines are to be erected.

Under this scheme, the means of access to the wind farm would still be from the already approved point on Higher Calderbrook Road, near to St James’ Church.

Because the wind turbines are to stand within both Rochdale and Calderdale Council areas, a planning application for the same changes has also been submitted to Calderdale Council.

A second application proposes an alternative means of access to the site, which is to be taken from a point off the A671 at Shawforth in Rossendale and involving a new access route to the higher area of the moor to reach the turbines.

Similar changes to the access track layout in the higher areas of the moor are also proposed.

Under this scheme, the originally proposed access point to the site from Higher Calderbrook Road would no longer be required.

As this alternative means of access to the site would partly lie within Rossendale, a planning application for these changes has also been submitted to Rossendale Borough Council.