7th May 2015
Friends of the Lake District has today submitted a detailed letter of objection in response to an application for a new wind farm at Kirkby Moor to South Lakeland District Council.  Our main reasons for objection to the wind farm are:

• The proposal would result in unacceptable visual harm to the landscape due to the change in the turbine size compared to the existing turbines on Kirkby Moor.
  
  
• The development  would have a significant negative impact on local landscape character including on the setting of the Lake District National Park not least by reason of the cumulative impact from nearby built/under construction/consented wind turbines along with the proposed route of the National Grid North West Coast Connections pylons.
  
  
• The visual impact arising from this development in such close proximity would result in significant harm to the landscape of the National Park.
  
  
• The intrusive nature of the proposal would impact on the nature conservation interests of the SSSI and on recreational activities on Kirkby Moor and into the Lake District National Park including quiet contemplative opportunities on nearby fells and Coniston Water and locally cherished viewpoints including The Hoad and Birkrigg Common.

You can see our full response by clicking the link below.

SL_2014_1220_Kirkby_Moor_wind_farm_FLD_response.pdf

You still have an opportunity to comment on the application as South Lakes is taking responses until 15th May.  See below for how to access the application online.



18th March 2015
Energy supplier, RWE, have submitted a planning application to South Lakes District Council to "repower" the wind farm at Kirkby Moor. In reality this means that the existing 45m tall turbines will be replaced with six 115m tall turbines. Kirkby Moor is directly next to the Lake District National Park and is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Common Land.

Friends of the Lake District has serious concerns about the impact on the landscape and natural environment of the Lake District National Park. We will be studying this application closely and working with local people to put across our concerns to South Lakeland District Council who will determine the application.

You can see the application at the SLDC website by typing reference SL/2014/1220 into the Planning Application search box: http://applications.southlakeland.gov.uk/planningapplications/welcome.asp   

Whilst the official closing date for people to comment is the end of March, it is unlikely to go to committee before June, so there is still time to respond to the application.