Saddleworth Moors Action Group
c/o Cllr Ken Hulme, 28 Sevenacres, Delph 0L3 5HU
Tel
01457 872859 Email kenhulme@waitrose.com
Press
Release 14th December 2003
United Utilities attempts to build 7 giant wind turbines in one of the leading beauty spots in the South Pennines were dealt a serious blow with the news that some 4,000 Oldham residents had submitted objections to Oldham Metropolitan Borough Councils second draft of their Unitary Development Plan.
Only 1400
objections had been received to the first draft of Oldham’s new UDP. But the
second draft has seen an unprecedented number of objections, the overwhelming
majority against Oldham’s attempt to encourage the development of Wind Turbines
throughout Saddleworth and Oldhams Green Belt.
The publication of a search map which sought to ‘positively encourage’ the establishment of Wind Farms on almost all Oldham’s Green Belt plus the attempt in the second draft of the UDP to water down the environmental and conservation safeguards on the siting of wind turbines in the Borough has created a storm of public protest.
Parish Councillor Ken Hulme
who represents Delph & Denshaw, the site of United Utilities proposed
Wind ‘Farm’ on Saddleworth Parish Council
said.
‘ This unprecedented display of public protest sends a clear
message to United Utilities that the local community doesn’t believe Denshaw Moor or the Castleshaw
Valley are appropriate sites for these giant 350 foot turbines.
Although they are notorious for not listening to local residents even Oldham Council must realise that something has gone seriously wrong with its policy making process especially in relation to renewable energy. The ‘top down’ ‘we know best’ approach where a small group of unelected officers and wind energy lobbyists try to foist a deeply controversial policy on the local community has really hit the bumpers this time.
Nor is it just Saddleworth residents who are opposed to
destroying the local landscape with these huge Turbines. Many hundreds of
people have signed our petition opposing these plans and several hundred people from all over Yorkshire, the
North West and beyond have added their names to the protest. With this level
of public opposition United Utilities and their friends in Oldham Council
have little chance of forcing this plan through. They have lost similar battles
all over the South Pennines and they are going to lose here.’
The Saddleworth Moors Action group is organising
a public meeting on Wednesday January 7th at Saddleworth Civic
Hall Uppermill to mobilise opposition to United Utilities plans. Local MP
Phil Woolas has agreed, parliamentary commitments permitting will be the main
speaker.