Wind Farm Campaigns - Harthill near Sheffield

Plans will be submitted soon for a small wind farm consisting of three turbines at Loscar Farm near Harthill, Sheffield. The development is a joint effort between Npower Renewables and the owner of the farm, John Wilks.

Each turbine will be capable of generating 1.3MW of electricity - enough for 2100 homes. This form of generating electricity will offset 8,000 plus tonnes of green house gasses from the atmosphere.

If this scheme gets the go-ahead, it will help to meet the Government’s target of generating 10% of all electricity by renewable sources by 2010. The Yorkshire and Humber region has a target of 304 MW of power from on-shore wind by 2010. In the past 11 years only 25MW have been installed -less than 1% of the target.

The wind farm will secure much needed income for the farmer, thus securing his business and the treasured landscape of the area.

Both local villages (Hathill and Thorpe Salvin) turn their back on the wind-farm site with the majority of the properties facing the village centres. This means that the visual impact of the turbines won’t be too bad.

Research by Npower Renewables has concluded that the noise and flickering (sun shining between rotating blades) are not real grounds for concern.

Access to erect and maintain the wind mills should not impinge on the residents of the near-by villages as alternative routes have been planned.

Sheffield Friends of the Earth will be supporting this development by writing a letter of support to Rotherham Council. For more details of the planning application see the council’s web site www.rotherham.gov.uk and select the environment section and then planning.

We would urge local members to write letters of support and send us copies of any letters you receive.