A PETITION has been started urging people to support the continual operation of Kirkby Moor wind farm.

The wind farm has been in place since 1993 and has had various groups campaigning around what should be done.

The 12 turbines between Broughton and Ulverston have caused a lot of controversy, with one group called the Kirkby Moor Protectors (KMP) campaigning to stop the renewal of the existing wind farm and the installation of a new windfarm.

In December last year, South Lakeland District Council denied Ventient Energy permission to extend the lifespan of the wind farm until 2027 with six councillors to five voting to block the proposal.

But the company appealed the decision, saying continued use of the turbines would be beneficial to the community and the country’s green energy sector

KMP want the existing turbines to be removed and stop any further installation due to the value of the landscape.

Peter Howlett, a member of the Green Party’s Ulverston branch, said: “The aim of the petition is to hopefully keep the current wind turbines in place after the planning application for more efficient ones was turned down earlier this year.

“A poll found that 76 percent of the community across the country support onshore wind farms, but as always there’s a few people who disagree.

“The Kirkby Moor Protectors are wanting the turbines taken down completely, which I personally think is utterly mad.

“It’s utterly ridiculous as to why anyone would want to stop something that provides free energy.

“I know that the main issue most people have with wind farms is the sight of them on a hill or a whooshing sound if you live nearby, but other than that I can’t see the problem.

“It’s ridiculous that people would want them taken down just because of how they look. I personally try to encourage people to look at them as a thing of beauty.

“The best thing about wind turbines is that once they’ve reached the end of their usefulness you can just take them down. This is the opposite to something like nuclear energy which ruins the landscape and the environment for generations to come.”

The final decision will be made at an inquiry in January.