LETTER: More wind turbines on Hameldon Hill is good news

THE news that Burnley Council has agreed to a planning application to double the number of wind turbines on Hameldon Hill will cheer everyone concerned about the environmental problems we all face.

By The Newsroom

Published 6th Jan 2011, 10:42 BST

The combined three existing and three new turbines will meet the annual electricity needs of around 6,800 homes.

This compares with the head-in-the-sand approach adopted by the last Pendle Council Lib-Dem administration who, according to an independent report published in October, shows Pendle generating 0.10 megawatts of energy annually from renewable sources. This is less that 1% of the 2020 target set for Pendle of 15.4 megawatts.

Even before the new turbines are built, Burnley generates an impressive 5.40 megawatts of their 14.6 megawatts 2020 target (37%). Rossendale is doing even better with 10.77 megawatts annual generation against a 2020 target of 14.8 megawatts (73%).

Pendle’s planning rules need to change to encourage developers, householders and energy suppliers to generate significantly more energy from renewable sources.

JOHN POPE

Barrowford