The late report will be linked here as soon as it is available.

What most people want is sensitive exploitation of renewable energy sources which are sustainable.

The use of biofuels causes problems in many areas of the world. Land clearance has caused many issues in the developing world. One clearance fire resulted in more CO2 emissions than the UK would produce in a single year. People lose their homes, their land their lives.
Food crops are replaced with energy crops and prices anre driven higher, leaving people to starve. Its a global economy, driven by supply and demand – where the rich win and the poor die.
Swaithes of rainforests are being deforested to grow palm oil – for burning. Increasing global CO2 production.
Are biofiels and renewable energy a good thing ? http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/

Hydro electric power accounts for nearly 20% of China’s power production. Recently Chinese officials staged a sudden about-face, acknowledging for the first time that the massive Three Georges hydroelectric dam, the world’s largest, sandwiched between breathtaking cliffs on the Yangtze River in central China, may be triggering landslides, altering entire ecosystems and causing other serious environmental problems—and, by extension, endangering the millions who live in its shadow. Three Georges Dam Is hydro electric a good thing ?

Last year, the world’s largest wood fueled biomass plant was approved – in the UK. If built it will use an estimated 60 million tonnes of wood a year – six times the UKs average wood production. The sad thing is that the wood that will be burned does not have to be replaced with new trees. Guess we will be importing even more wood and adding more to world CO2 levels. !The biggest threat to the Mountain Gorillas in the Congo – is the clearance of forest for charcoal production – a renewable energy source. Is renewable energy a good thing ?
Tilbury

Not all renewable energy projects are bad – to the contrary, but nor are they all good. The plan to use solar power, harnessed in the dessert, to supply 15% of Europes power by 2050 . That seems a much better idea than covering arable farmland with solar panels in the UK Desert power.
Admirably the UK leads the way with off shore wind farms and behind the curve small scale domestic renewable energy projects – although these are now starting to have a benefit in the UK.

The UK government is encouraging small scale energy production, solar PV, wind power etc. Bolton’s core startegy encourages the use of CHP (Combined heat and Power) which can be over 90%efficient.
The largest biomass CHP for district heating plant is in Japan – 2MWe.
In Blackrod a plant twice this size has been approved at the Douglas Valley Golf Course, for district heating. The plant will burn approximately 5% of the total wooded are inthe North West of England each year – and produce enough electric for 11,000 houses and enough heat energy to heat the whole of Blackrod. Unfortunately the plant will only actually heat six houses, and the rest of the thermal energy will be wasted – making it one of the least efficient CHP plants in the world – estimated at below 20% – wasting valuable energy resources- an environmental crime.

The same site has also applied for two industrial wind turbines – despite guidance to the contrary unfortunately the proposed turbine tips will be within 50m of hedgerows and linear field structures. (In fact they are within a few meters). Why is this important ?
Some of Europe’s most endangered species – bats – use these linear structures as highways – they will virtually never fly accross an open field. Turbine blades have been responsible for many bat kills -it is unlawful to deliberately kill a bat – and contributory negligence by ignoring the guidlines is unlikely to provide a defence – an environmental crime.

It is likely that there will be multiple legally enforceable objections to the turbines, due to the deficient impact assesment, and potentially serious safety concerns, once the statutory consultees (who were omitted from the consultation by the applicant and Bolton Council) have responded, and proposed unlawful conditions removed.

For those who would wish renewable energy at any cost – be careful what you wish for – dont be daft – think – sensitive exploitation of renewable energy sources which are sustainable.

Blind as Bat – Daft as a Brush

Energy efficiency is probably the best way we, as individuals can reduce the demand for energy and help achieve the 25% target. Many domestic energy suppliers now provide free roof insulation and free cavity wall insulation. If you havent yet gone down this route – or at least had a free consultation you to may be commiting an environmental crime. Please help Save the Planet – without costing the Earth.

At the same time the turbines have been getting quieter with the latest noise assement appears to claim that at 200m a turbine will be 37 dB, rather than the 45dB claimed on the manufacturers website.

To make matters worse, the site is approved for a biomass plant.Having stated “we have had no other option but to shelve this project for the time being”, around the 17 October 2011, within a month work had commenced on the plant.

It is good that people from outside the area are in favour of wind turbines, as are we. It is unlikely that they are aware of the impact of these specific turbines as it has been almost impossible to understand from the data which has been submitted.

Wind turbines are an excellent form of renewable energy. Some people do not like them spoiling the views in the countryside when out for a walk. This is considerably different from having one invading the privacy of your own home, either visually or with noise – particularly relevant to the proposed turbines at Douglas Valley given the topography of the land and the number of people directly affected.

There will be many more applications for turbines in the local area – it is only to be hoped that these will provide accurate and detailed informtion from the outset and that they will not effect so many residents on a personal basis – so that the whole community can embrace this technology.

In Blackrod, it has been noted that the boundary of the Blackrod Industrial Estate, for infilling, also contains a number of greenbelt fields.

Please make your views known

The documents can be found Here and draft allocation

Please notes comments must be submitted to bolton Council by 27 January 2012, the following link to Bolton Councl web pages , allows you to make comments on-line or print off forms for postal submission.

Bolton Council LDF Consultation

Alternatively the link below enables you to zoom in on a particular feature and add comments more easily
Map and Comments

Comments can also be emailed to LDFconsultation@bolton.gov.uk

HERE

Chorley Guardian

Protest website

Letter x