BIKER NEWS: Turbines plan for popular biker cafe

BIKER NEWS -- PLANS have been submitted to build two new 150-foot wind turbines near a popular bikers cafe near Selby.

Selby District Council has received the submission on behalf of Squires Cafe in South Milford, which has operated since 1954 and is popular with motorbike owners and riders.

A report put forward with the plans, by Universal Renewables, said the turbines were required to ensure the business, which currently employs eight permanent staff and up to 20 part time staff, remained viable.

It said: "In order to remain viable and become a more sustainable business, there is a need to reduce energy costs. At present the business uses over 200,000kW per year at a cost of over £35k.

"Heating is powered by LPG tanks, delivered to the site, costing over £9,000 per year. The aim is to convert fully to green electricity through the installation of a turbine this will be much more environmentally friendly. The turbine will generate green energy to supply the cafe with fixed price electricity to support the business in the future and help guarantee jobs for the local people."

If successful, the turbines would be situated in fields behind the cafe, with two nine-metre blades attached to a 40m high hub.

The report said the selected model was "a relatively small turbine, especially when compared to those installed at large utility wind farms", and "much smaller in scale to other common features in both the rural and urban landscape", such as electricity pylons which are commonly 65m high, and church spires, commonly 40m tall.

Local resident Philip Thompson has already objected to the plans, and said he was concerned about the noise of the generators, and increased road use in the area.

He said: "The visual impact of two 49m wind turbines will be huge and beyond belief.

"The traffic impact during construction will be also huge and, along with the motorcycles, a potential catastrophe."

This article was first published on 13:05 Thursday 29 October 2015 

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