June 2008 Press Release

November 2007 Press Release

An updated version of Cumbria Under Siege will be maintained here.

This is an updated map (April 2009) and the numbers in the November Press Release do not now match exactly.   The key immediately below the map is accurate at the time of uploading.

Red = Operating;    Blue = consented/in construction;    Green = Planning (various stages);    Black = Rejected

PRESS RELEASE for IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 7th 2008

FELLS calls for a rethink on South Lakes landscape

At its ninth Annual General Meeting on June 5th in Kirkland Hall Kendal, attended by over 40 people, an urgent call was made for a halt to the uncontrolled flood of applications for wind farms sweeping through the South Lakeland area.

In the past six months four new applications have emerged; Armistead near Old Hutton (now in the planning stage), Sill Field on a site adjacent to this, Biggins/Whittington just 1 mile from Kirkby Lonsdale Town centre and Striber/Ellerside on a ridge near Grange-over-Sands. If approved these would total up to 25 extra turbines on top of the 13 already operating at Caton Moor and Lambrigg.

Sir Christopher Audland, the first Chairman and a founder of FELLS said, ‘…this should come as a wake up call to everyone in South Lakeland. Most of these proposals would be on sites that have already been recognised as meeting or almost meeting National Park standards. The low ridge between the Kent and the Lune Valleys is of exceptional quality and we should all press hard for its inclusion in a new Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – because that is what it is’.

Much of this area is already under review by Natural England as part of its ongoing study of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Park boundaries. The fact that it is now being ‘picked off’ piecemeal by subsidy-hungry developers borders on a National disgrace and will seriously prejudice the impartiality of this review.

Tim Kimber, the present Chairman of FELLS, added that ‘…in just a few years the total cost of this crazy rush for wind energy could be costing the average household £300 to £400 a year extra in fuel bills via the hidden subsidies and high cost of grid strengthening and building new back up coal and gas-fired power plants to support the wind farms when the wind does not blow’ (up to 110 days per year).

Notably Paul Golby, the CEO of Eon UK said only this week that we would need as much as 44 gigawatts of new coal or gas generation capacity by 2020 to back up wind if the Government persists with its present policy. That is the equivalent of 20 large coal-fired power stations or 60 burning gas.

Sadly, Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council and Casterton Parish Council voted not to opposed the Armistead proposal despite being warned by FELLS that several other wind farm plans were about to be revealed. In so doing they are putting at risk the tourist life blood of Kirkby Lonsdale and have betrayed all those people who, in the past, fought to keep the M6, reservoirs and additional pylons out of the Lune Valley.

Mike Hall, FELLS Vice-Chairman said; ‘…this is all about greed not green. The landowners who are permitting this scandal to happen should recognise that while they own the land they do not own the landscape. That is the legacy and birthright of us all. In encouraging this blight they are degrading the enjoyment of hundreds of local people and thousands of visitors who come here to recharge their batteries’.

FELLS urges everyone to object in the strongest possible terms to what is happening and calls on all organisations with an interest in the landscape to unite to prevent the destruction of South Lakeland. We have won in the past and we can win again.

Press release on behalf of FELLS - Friends of Eden, Lakeland and Lunesdale Scenery, November 2007

This week FELLS has sent a letter to Councillors and Members of Parliament from across Cumbria, entitled "Cumbria under Siege".

The intention is to draw attention to the ever increasing number of wind farm proposals across the county.  FELLS members are concerned that the  "unrealistic" renewable energy target for the county has been set without regard to the fact that over half of the area is protected by designation, such as the National Park.  This is putting huge pressure on the remainder of the land, such as the Eden Valley.  The letter to councillors points out that "The Regional Authorities simply looked at land area and the wind profile of the county without making allowance for its unique nature."

Enclosed with the letter is a map showing  sites around the Lake District National Park.  There are currently over 30 wind farms at the scoping or planning stage, including the controversial Berrier Hill site, and since the map was produced, a proposal for a wind farm at Lazonby Fell has come to light.  Tim Kimber, Chairman of FELLS  writes: "Although a few might be deemed to be acceptable, many are sited in completely unsuitable areas".  

The letter asks councillors at all levels of government to continue to be bold and vigilant and to work to protect this unique county for the enjoyment of future generations".

Kyle Blue, who was prominent in the Whinash wind farm inquiry said "The Public Inquiry highlighted  the importance of the countryside to Cumbria and its economy.  It is therefore essential that these intrusive developments are closely monitored  and only sited where appropriate."

• FELLS is not opposing wind turbines everywhere. In a more industrial scene, or offshore, they can be acceptable. But they are quite unacceptable in our beautiful countryside so there they must be stopped.
• Wharrels Hill wind farm at the top of Bassenthwaite is clearly visible from well within the National Park and consists of turbines 76 metres high - most applications currently being submitted are for 100 metre turbines
• The most well-known turbines in the area are probably those at Lambrigg near junction 36 of the M6; but at 43 metres high these are less than half the height of the modern turbines.