Councillors in oppostion over eco village site
COUNILLORS will oppose plans for a “pie in the sky” development in Weardale despite the possibility of creation of up to 350 jobs.At a special meeting of Stanhope Parish Council, councillors voiced their objections to the Eastgate renewable Energy village proposed for the old Lafarge cement works saying they had reservations over some of the details of the plan.
Cllr Angela Bolam said: “No-one in their right mind would oppose jobs but there are issues, particularly around housing, with this development which concern me. I would back sustainable jobs but I represent local people’s views and they seem to be against this plan.”
Eastgate will be the only Renewable Energy Village in the country to feature all five forms of available land-based renewable energy including hydro, solar, wind, biomass and geothermal.
Developers say it will generate sufficient clean electricity to offset the energy consumption of the whole of Weardale, but residents are concerned about toxic particles given off by the biomass system, a concern which has been quickly allayed by the task force responsible for the proposals.
A spokesman said: “Earlier this month residents were advised in a letter that a full report on the environmental effects of the Renewable Energy Village has been produced by specialist environmental consultants Entec UK Limited, as part of the planning application, and this shows that there is no threat to public health.
“The technology utilised within the sustainable wood fuelled biomass boiler will minimise emissions of particulate matter from the stack and a detailed air dispersion modelling assessment also shows that concentrations of particulates fall well below the limits set out in the UK’s statutory Air Quality Strategy objectives, which are health-based standards based on medical and scientific reports.”
The Renewable Energy Village will also encompass a mix of homes, office and workshop accommodation, a hotel and a public geothermally heated spa which could generate up to 350 jobs.
Eastgate Cllr Kathleen Hutchinson, who has now set-up a group opposed to the plans, said: “Eastgate is not opposed to jobs, but this plan is just not right for the dale. We want to see Weardale flourish and would welcome a few houses in Eastgate, but they are proposing to build 67 homes, three times the number currently in the village, which could create an us and them situation.
“I have spoken to people in Eastgate and not one person has said they want this.” As well as housing and the biomass system, councillors have also taken issue with the impact on traffic and parking in Weardale, and argue that people in Weardale won’t use the facilities.
Cllr Christopher Rowell said: “Employment is essential but the long-term needs of the area aren’t just about employment. There are several issues with it which aren’t going to benefit dale. They haven’t looked at the impact on traffic beyond Eastgate and I don’t think they have considered how parking in towns like Stanhope and St John’s Chapel will be affected.
“The vast majority seem to be opposed to the plans and we can’t support anything that will be detrimental to Weardale.” Cllr John Shuttleworth is a firm supporter of the plans and is the only Weardale councillor to be on the village creation task-force.
Cllr Shuttleworth said: “You are either for jobs or against them, and if you don’t support this then you can’t say you want jobs here. We need to create jobs for the next generation and to not accept the plans will mean a big step backwards.”
Cllr Shuttleworth also dismissed a 22-page report slamming the document compiled by a freelance journalist based in London as “absolute rubbish”, and accused it and other councillors of scare mongering. Cllr Shuttleworth said: “These plans have been in the public domain since November but it is only now that certain councillors have started scare mongering that we are receiving objections.”
The report, compiled by John Reeds, also angered Cllr Dennis Craig who said: “What right does someone based in London have to tell us about Weardale? It is full of inaccuracies, and is absolute twaddle. As a farmer I would have to look at the village every day and I think it is vital we get more jobs in Weardale. Since I left school, only me and one other lad have managed to get work in the dale, and we are the only ones left living here.”
Six councillors opposed the plans while three supported them. The plans can be viewed at Crook Civic centre, Durham Dales Centre, Wolsingham library and online at www.weardaleworks.co.uk, or for more information either visit the website or call 01388 761571.
