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Campaigners fighting to stop a wind farm being built on their doorstep have issued a rallying cry to back their fight. Scout Moor wind farm has dominated the skyline north of Manchester for two decades. Now Cubico Sustainable Investments wants to build 17 bigger, more powerful wind turbines on the same moorland. What has been dubbed ‘Scout Moor II’ would see the 180m high turbines, more powerful than the current turbines on Scout Moor, potentially making it the largest onshore wind farm in England. To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE The new wind farm, if approved, would be run separately to the neighbouring 26-turbine wind farm on the moorland between Rochdale , Edenfield, and Rawtenstall. This plan has been scaled back from the 21 turbines originally put forward by renewable energy developer, but it would still be capable of generating 100MW of clean electricity, powering around 100,000 homes per year. Plans for the expansion have been tabled a few times in the last 15 years by different developers, each time getting knocked back. ‘Say No to Scout Moor 2’ is made up of activists from the community surrounding Scout Moor. Many of the group have fought against previous attempts to expand the wind farm network on the peatland. So far they have been successful, but they have issued a statement calling for more people to join their fight. They are worried about the noise these turbines generate; what happens to the heritage and artefacts found in the area; as well as the matter of how they look. A spokesperson for the group said: “The planning application for Scout Moor 2 is fundamentally flawed, deliberately manipulating a broken planning process, resulting in a risk to our health, wellbeing, climate, environment and heritage. It must be stopped. “The applicant, Cubico, wants to install up to 17 turbines, each larger than Blackpool Tower, on Rooley Moor. Government planning advice requires a worst-case scenario to be evaluated, but Cubico are using this process to sidestep the need to be specific about their plans, in an attempt to rush through the development before the political mood changes. “We don’t know what turbines they want to install, we don’t know how noisy they are, we don’t know how efficient they are. There are simply too many unanswered questions for there to be a proper consultation.” Cubico has explained that they cannot ‘manipulate’ the planning process, as it’s governed by legislation and planning policy. They also believe their proposal clearly sets out the maximum number of turbines and their maximum height, alongside drawings of the scheme. The project has already undergone two years of environmental surveys and two formal stages of public consultation, adds Cubico. Speaking on the peatland, the campaign spokesperson continued: “The proposed development is on deep peat. “At least 140,000 cubic meters of peat (equivalent to 1,275 double decker buses) will be replaced by concrete if this scheme goes ahead. This is the equivalent of around 30 sq km of rainforest! “The policies to protect peat are there for a reason – it is good for us – it holds carbon, it holds water and prevents flooding, it is a natural habitat for a wealth of things that are good for our ecology.” This point has repeatedly been made by the campaigners, but Cubico’s rebuttal is that they are carrying out one of the largest peatland restoration projects. Cubico says that for every hectare of peatland affected by the wind farm, they will restore ten. A Cubico spokesperson added: “The planning application does not allow peat to be removed from site or destroyed. The project works to a peat balance principle: if peat is disturbed during construction, it is carefully excavated, stored and then reused on site during reinstatement. “No peat leaves the site.” Cubico has also proposed a long-term Community Wealth Fund, promising to deliver £20 million over the lifetime of the wind farm. It would offer a guaranteed £600,000 per year, linked to inflation, and based on £6,000 per MW of installed capacity. The renewable energy developer recently appointed environmental charity Groundwork as its delivery partner to help shape and guide the Community Wealth Fund. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE In response to the campaigners, Peter Rowe, project lead at Cubico said: “We understand why people care deeply about the moorland – it’s a special place – but many of the claims being made about the project simply aren’t accurate. “The planning application is being independently reviewed by both councils and statutory bodies, and every aspect of it – from peat management to noise – is supported by detailed, expert evidence. “The scheme will not remove peat from the site. Any peat that is disturbed will be reused, and the project includes one of the largest restoration programmes of its kind, improving the condition of the moorland for the long term. Independent assessments confirm the proposal meets strict environmental and noise standards. “Wind power is now the UK’s most affordable form of new electricity generation. Scout Moor II will provide clean, locally generated power that strengthens energy security and supports the region’s transition to a low-carbon future. “We are still in a period of listening. Once all consultation responses have been received, the councils will confirm whether further information or design refinement is required. “Any additional material will be submitted next year and made public for further consultation before a decision is taken.” The Say No to Scout Moor 2 group are having a meeting on November 27, 6pm to 8.30pm, at Norden Methodist Church and requesting more people to join their campaign. People can also visit their website to get involved.
