Plans for a new wind farm on moorland between Rochdale and Bury have been reduced in size, but campaigners say the revised scheme is still not acceptable. The Say NO to Scout Moor 2 group has objected to Cubico Sustainable Investments' proposal since it was first mooted in 2024, fearing that turbines up to 180m including blade tip height would be larger than Blackpool Tower and dominate the skyline.
Turbine numbers cut from 17 to 12
The latest changes from Cubico have seen the scheme reduced from 17 wind turbines to 12. This reduction means the proposed wind farm would only have the potential to power 84,552 homes annually, rather than the 100,000 previously touted. There is already a wind farm in operation on Scout Moor, but according to planning documents, the new farm would be run separately and have a lifespan of around 40 years.
Planning papers also highlight the need for underground cables connected to an on-site substation, which will later be hooked up to a supply point in Rossendale to deliver electricity to the National Grid. The clean energy generation from the turbines is said to recover the fossil fuel costs to build the new wind farm in 18 months. Cubico has also said the excavation of peat, a pivotal carbon dioxide capture source, will be reduced by 28 per cent.
Campaigners challenge peat restoration promises
Cubico has promised a peat restoration project so the extracted peat will not be lost entirely, but objectors do not believe this is realistic. Cubico also said it is avoiding placing turbines that dominate local viewpoints, but those statements have been challenged by local campaigners. Objectors' main concerns have always been the turbines dominating the skyline and the damage caused by the potential excavation of deep peat on the moorland. They believe Cubico have not set back the turbines from the edge of the moor and have actually moved six turbines closer to Whitworth and one nearer to Cowpe.
The group has admitted that two have been moved away from Whitworth and one away from Cowpe. Cubico reducing the average depth of peat excavation from 50cm to 30cm is still seen as penetrating deep peat, in the eyes of objectors.
Objection letter highlights unresolved concerns
In Alan Billingsley's objection letter to Rossendale council, he said: “I object to the revised Scout Moor II proposals because the Further Environmental Information does not resolve significant concerns relating to peat loss, blanket bog, hydrology, ecological effects, restoration and the degree to which the final development has actually been defined and assessed.”
“The proposed peatland restoration does not automatically extinguish the loss of irreplaceable habitat. Councils should require a transparent peat mass-balance schedule showing, for every infrastructure element, acrotelm and catotelm volumes excavated, temporary storage volumes, reinstatement volumes, translocation destinations, restoration volumes and any material already present at receiving sites. The fact that the stated reused/restored quantity exceeds the stated excavation quantity requires explanation rather than being accepted as a self-evident environmental benefit.”
Alan and his fellow campaigners have been delving deep into the planning documents since they were officially tabled with councils by Cubico. They claim to have already found a number of contradictions and inconsistencies in what they've described as a 'confusing array of documents'.
Developer says consultation shaped project
Cubico's planning application has 579 separate documents. The developer says consultation feedback from local residents, community groups, elected representatives, statutory consultees and other stakeholders has played a central role in shaping the evolution of the project.
Peter Rowe, Project Lead for Scout Moor II at Cubico, said previously: “From the outset, we said that consultation would help shape Scout Moor II, and the updated proposals show that this has happened. The project today is different because people have engaged. The feedback we received has directly influenced the proposals and resulted in meaningful changes to the scheme.”
“These include reducing the number of turbines, removing infrastructure from the deepest areas of peat, increasing separation from key recreational routes and revising the grid connection route to avoid Edenfield and Waterfoot villages. We know there will continue to be different views about the project, but we hope people can see that the consultation has been a genuine process of listening, engagement and refinement. We believe the revised proposals strike a better balance between delivering homegrown renewable energy, reducing local and environmental impacts and creating long-term benefits for local communities.”
Cubico also says it will create a Community Wealth Fund to invest money back into the community and deliver a 'significant programme of moorland restoration'. Subject to final turbine selection, the wealth fund could provide around £400,000 each year for local projects and initiatives throughout the operational life of the wind farm, according to Cubico.
The next steps would be for Rochdale and Rossendale councils to consider the application and either approve or refuse the scheme. The government has identified the need for increased renewable energy capacity, including the deployment of onshore wind, to meet climate goals. This project was one of the first major wind farm schemes tabled since the Labour government lifted a nine-year de facto ban in England on July 8, 2024. The energy infrastructure developer also pointed out that the plans could help both local councils reach their climate aspirations. Rossendale council aims to achieve net-zero by 2030 and Rochdale council by 2038. Before this, a single objection to an onshore wind farm scheme could have blocked it entirely.
