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Wind farm protesters fundraising for legal bid
RESIDENTS battling wind farm plans for a Derbyshire beauty spot are fundraising for a barrister to represent them at a public inquiry.
Members of Action Against Matlock Moor Windfarm Proposal (AMP) are ploughing their spare cash into a fighting fund so they can have legal representation at the four-week hearing into the plan, due to take place in February.
West Coast Energy wants to erect five 126-metre turbines on land off Wirestone Lane, on the ridge which runs between Matlock and Chatsworth House, overlooking the picturesque Derwent Valley.
Opponents fear the turbines will spoil the landscape and deter tourists. The site is within a mile of Darwin Forest Country Park holiday village.
A spokesman for AMP said: "We have been literally out knocking on the doors of people around the area asking them to support us and have now raised around three quarters of the amount required.
"However, we are not sitting back and are still hard at work so we can bring in the rest."
The campaigners are set to have the support of both North East Derbyshire and Derbyshire Dales councils and the Peak District National Park Authority.
The latter has already said it will oppose the scheme. It prefers small-scale methods of producing green energy, such as hydro electricity generation at river dams and weirs, and bore holes to use heat from the ground, because they have minimal environmental impact.
The wind farm would straddle the boundary between the Derbyshire Dales and North East Derbyshire. Both councils' officers are recommending councillors oppose the scheme due to it causing "unacceptable harm".
A report by North East Derbyshire Council said the wind farm would adversely affect views from surrounding listed buildings, Riber Castle and Sydnope Hall.
It added that Derbyshire Wildlife Trust was concerned about the impact on rare birds such as the nightjar, goshawk, buzzard, merlin and skylark.
The council report also said the project would "reduce the attractiveness of the locality to visitors and people involved in recreation thereby reducing the important contribution tourism and recreation make to the local economy."
West Coast Energy's application will be considered at meetings of both councils' planning committees next week, which are open to the public.
The Derbyshire Dales board meets at 6pm on Monday, at Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, while North East Derbyshire councillors will discuss the matter from 2pm on Tuesday at Tupton Village Hall, Green Lane, New Tupton.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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