Last updated at 16:51, Monday, 18 February 2013

RESIDENTS are being urged to demand that their properties are surveyed ahead of the proposed construction of a windfarm near Haverigg prison.

Former Mayor of Millom, Councillor Audrey Gabbert, says many of the houses along the route from Port Millom to Haverigg could be damaged by heavy traffic during construction.

She claims her own house has been badly damaged by heavy traffic flow over years.

Mrs Gabbert said: “A lot of the houses in Haverigg are old houses, and have no foundations. We had to have the front of our house altered, we had a crack from the roof right down.

“People on the route to the site need to get a survey done.”

Windfarm developers Partnerships for Renewables (PfR), who hope to obtain planning permission for the project, are offering property owners in North Lane a “building dilapidation” survey before and after construction.

The development, on land adjacent to HMP Haverigg, would see five 120.5 metre turbines erected which could generate enough power for more than 7,000 homes.

PfR also promises a £1m community fund over the 25-year lifespan of the site.

However, Cllr Gabbert is not convinced by the project.

“I’m against the wind farm going ahead, because they don’t do what people promise they will do. The only people who seem to benefit are the landowners and the people who build the windfarms,” she said.

The project is due to go through the planning process at Cumbria County Council next month.

In a letter to Haverigg residents, PfR’s head of planning and technical services, Marcus Beddoe, said: “For properties fronting the section of North Lane not adopted by Cumbria County Council, we are offering owners the opportunity to have building dilapidation surveys undertaken at our expense by an independent surveyor before and after the construction phase.

“Any damage found to be caused by construction deliveries for the wind turbines will be rectified at PfR’s expense.”

The letter says expressions of interest need to be submitted by March 29.

Anyone wanting to apply for a survey should write to Partnership for Renewables, 12 Melcombe Place, London, NW1 6JJ.

For more information about the project, visit www.pfr.co.uk/haverigg, or call 0800 731 7395.

First published at 16:28, Monday, 18 February 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk