Kirkby Moor windfarm "repowering" A planning application for a renewal, and increasing the height of the Kirkby Moor windfarm has been submitted by utilities company RWE. The existing Kirkby Moor windfarm consists of 12 x 45m tall turbines, and was one of the first windfarms to be built in Cumbria. The new proposal is for 6 x 115m tall turbines.It is sited in a moorland landscape on the Furness peninsula, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated common land and lies very close to the boundary of the Lake District National Park.The original windfarm application was refused by the members of South Lakeland District Council in 1991, but allowed on appeal despite the environmental sensitivity of Kirkby Moor. Friends of the Lake District objected to the original application and attended the public inquiry. Unfortunately the application was given permission in 1992. The windfarm was given a 25 year permission which means that it needs to be decommissioned by 2017, hence this new application.The new proposal involves reducing the number of turbines to six, but increasing the height to 115m tall, more than two and a half times as tall as the existing turbines. While we welcome the proposed reduction in the number of turbines (12 were originally planned), we are very unhappy about the height of the six new turbines, which would be visible from well-loved places within the Lake District like Coniston Water and Kirkstone Pass and from other iconic viewpoints such as The Hoad Monument in Ulverston and Birkrigg Common.Write to South Lakeland District CouncilWe will be submitting an objection to the application, and supporting other organisations and local groups with their objections too. If you feel strongly about this, you can send a letter to South Lakeland District Council, quoting application number SL/2014/1220. Read more information about the application online at:http://applications.southlakeland.gov.uk/planningapplications/welcome.asp Also, see more information about the local campaign group here: https://www.facebook.com/campaignSTARC Manage Cookie Preferences