Anger over wind turbine

THE wind turbine off Ripponden Road, with Scout Moor wind farm above Rochdale in the background

WORRIED residents are concerned their borders are under threat from wind turbines.

Led by parish councillor Alan Roughley, they are angry after neigbouring Rochdale Council agreed to a wind turbine on a farm near Ripponden Road near Denshaw despite objection from Oldham Council.

The turbine - the blades of which reach 113ft - has been built in the greenbelt near Rooden reservoir and the Pennine Bridleway.

Councillor Roughley said: “Is this our future? The trivial amounts of electricity produced by these local turbines will do absolutely nothing to either reverse climate change or keep our lights on in winter.

“Oldham’s Local Development Plan makes it clear these industrial windmills will only be permitted if the so-called benefits outweigh the damage done.

“This latest machine is actually sited on the Rochdale side of the boundary, though the result looms over the bowl of the Upper Tame Valley, with Denshaw at its centre.”

Mark Widdup, Director of Economy and Environment at Rochdale Council, said: “The views of objectors were taken into account, particularly as the application had been deferred from a previous meeting for further information to be submitted on noise impacts.”