[r-man]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7939160.stm

I've always quite like shape of wind turbines. Is it really an issue?

[Bubba]

I don't mind them in moderation - but lots of them are a bit nasty

[cofe]

there's already some turbines up that way, visibly to the east if you go the holmfirth route to wimberry.

[tommytwotone]

From having seen them around my folk's place in the fens, I reckon they're pretty cool - in fact they liven up a fairly dull landscape there.

[Johnny Brown]

there's already some turbines up that way, visibly to the east if you go the holmfirth route to wimberry

Yep, by the looks of things this is a very similar development to the existing one and only a couple of miles away. On the map there looks to be a line of pylons along the ridge already so it'll hardly be a catastrophic impact on the landscape.

[Mr Cat]

I think they're defo a case of nimby...

but there's a fair few arounbd me neck of the woods - about 20 or so have been put up this year alone...

[north_country_boy]

I have just completed a rural planning module on wind farm development within the Peak Fringe, which was based around Stocksbridge, as part of my MA.

The windfarm which Cofe mentions is Royd Moor, a development of 7 x 35m-ish turbines......

This proposed development will use 120m turbines (from base to tip of blade.)......!!!! Bit of a contrast with the surrounding landscape, they will have a huge visual impact, it seems the developers are going down the route of maximum output for minimum number of turbines...

What are peoples opinions on this?

How would people feel about them within the Peak boundary on Low Moor, Midhope & Barnside Moor or Swinden Moor?

[matthew]

I think they are pretty damn cool. I prefer the vertical axis type generally but don't really have any objections to them. Better than a cement factory any day.

[SA Chris]

Can't throw a stick without hitting one round here now. They seem to try and put them in relatively hidden glens and valleys rather than right at the tops of ridges, so not quite as high a visual impact as there could be.  Best ones are at Banff, as you can now see what direction wind is blowing from webcam at the harbour.

My issue with them is that there is very much an "all the eggs in one basket" attitude at the moment, and a lot of investment is going into them, whereas i think there are more potentially viable energy sources available that have not been developed fully.

Plus quite few birds have been chopped up.

[Johnny Brown]

Looking west from the high moors in that area the major landmarks currently are power stations. Roger Redfern used to regularly count them off, Dylan Thomas style, in his Guardian columns. I don't see a wind farm as any different, certainly not worse.

My view of wind farms is that yes, they are flawed, and no, long tern they are not going to be the answer, but the alternative at the present moment is to wring our hands and not do anything. Until any of the other technologies mature there is a limit to what money can be pumped into them and we really need to just be getting anything we can going.

I'm not in favour of them anywhere, national parks should be avoided as should anywhere with a unique unspoilt landscape. I don't see birds as a big problem except on raptor migration routes or areas where there are large rare birds in low densities (eg Lewis). Giant farms are better offshore. I see the future being probably in solar, tidal and fusion, but we have to get there trwading as lightly as possible.

[magpie]

I love wind farms; I have been known to wander around amongst them for ages taking pictures.     I can see why people take issue with them though, they aren't exactly subtle and well concealed and I suppose if I load of them sprung up in your line of sight it might be a bit different to going and having a look at them occasionally.

[Bubba]

Anyone seen the new one at the B&Q RDC in Worksop - it's really close to the A57 near the A1 - I think it looks magnificent.

[Mr Cat]

yeah, here's some pics of some near me...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/weardaleone/page6/

you'll need to scroll down tho...

[Mr Cat]

friendly place this.... 

[Jaspersharpe]

Reckon they look great against that red sky.

[lagerstarfish]

From his house, my Dad can just about see 3 wind generator things in the far distance and he has developed a most irrational hate of them. My sister and I have a great time winding him up about it. Mind you, it's more acceptable than his irrational dislike of Arabs and Irish people    (apart from the ones he actually knows, they're all right)