'Turbines would blight Wuthering Heights landscape'

A planned wind farm set to be one of the biggest in the country will "blight forever" the Brontë landscape of Wuthering Heights if allowed to go ahead, it has been claimed.

Keighley and Ilkley Conservative MP Robbie Moore spoke out as he introduced a Commons debate on the impact the development might have on 2,300 hectares of protected peatland overlooking Hebden Bridge.

His concerns were echoed by Labour MP for Shipley, Anna Dixon, who asked the government to reconsider and urged ministers to "listen to the arguments" raised.

Chris McDonald, Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said there were already "protections in the planning system" for onshore wind farm developments.

Developer Calderdale Energy Park wants to place up to 34 wind turbines on Walshaw Moor, which campaigners say will hinder views of Calderdale and Bradford, as well as Pendle in Lancashire.

A statutory public consultation on the proposals runs until June 10, and the developer argues the site is in an area identified for generating onshore wind power, helping deliver "reliable, home-grown renewable energy, helping to reduce energy costs, support local jobs and strengthen energy security".

The turbines are capable of generating up to 240MW of renewable energy, the firm says.

But Moore said this would come at a price to protected peatland, including damaging a vital carbon store and having a severe impact on a setting of key cultural heritage.

Taken together, that price would be too high, said Moore.

"Understandably, our much-loved Brontë Society is firmly against the proposed wind farm development across our heritage landscape, which encompasses Top Withens, believed to be the inspiration for the setting of Wuthering Heights.

"If this wind farm proposal goes ahead, that landscape will be blighted forever."

He added that even after the wind farm is decommissioned, most infrastructure like roads, cables and foundations would remain, permanently damaging the landscape and peat.

Dixon said she agreed with her Conservative colleague that peatlands were "crucial in our fight against climate change" and also reduced flood risk, a very evident concern in Calder Valley.

She had been contacted over the proposals by constituents, she said, and they "rightly believe that protected peatland should be protected".

"I urge the government to listen to the arguments made in this debate," she said.

"There could clearly be major negative impacts on our precious peatlands in this area of Yorkshire, and I ask that the government look carefully and reconsider the proposals."

Calder Valley Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn, who since the proposals were announced has been under pressure from constituents to oppose the plans, said he knew the moorland well and it was a "uniquely beautiful landscape, resplendent with curlews, lapwings and other moorland birds".

But he said this in itself this would not be reason to block the plans as the country needed to ramp up green energy infrastructure.

Following the science should inform the process, he said, adding: "The more we learn about peat and its role in absorbing carbon, the clearer it is that building on peat will do more harm than good."

Responding for the government, McDonald acknowledged there was "strong agreement in this room on the need both to tackle climate change and to care for our special environments in the UK, including peatland".

He said: "We therefore recognise that building infrastructure such as onshore wind on peatland can have detrimental impacts, and we appreciate that communities have valid concerns about that.

"That is why we have protections in the planning system requiring careful consideration from developers and decision makers when onshore wind farm developments are proposed on peatlands."

McDonald said the government was committed to publishing additional guidance regarding wind farm construction on peatland in England.

Moore said the debate had been worthwhile but he still had major concerns, and the government was offering guidance rather than protection.

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, will ultimately decide on the application.

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