MORE than sixty villagers voted unanimously this week to start a campaign to stop a 65-metre-high wind turbine on Lowick Beacon.

Crowding into Lowick's Sunday Schoolroom, they pledged to lobby councillors and officers, and persuade others in the scattered community to do the same.

A four-year-old Lowick windfarm protest group, with a bank balance of £70, re-formed under the leadership of former chairman Ian Currie, with the backing of the meeting.

Askam and Ireleth windfarm protesters MAIWAG offered their full support and expertise.

Finally, another 50 names were added to the tally of campaigners after Gawthwaite residents presented a petition supported by walkers along the nearby stretch of the Cumbria Way.

Next Generation Ltd's plan would create a 213-feet-high mast, two-thirds the height of Blackpool Tower, on a hill 190 metres above sea level.

The blades would each be 35 metres long.

At the meeting, farmers, young mothers, retired couples and working parents were united after hearing a catalogue of the problems already experienced by residents close to the Askam windfarm.

"I believe the Lowick Common turbine will be an aesthetic disaster," said MAIWAG spokesman Les Nicholls.

"The windfarm industry is not regulated, nobody controls them, and they just give you two fingers.

Your house prices will suffer tremendously."

Richard Forster, from Stainton Gap, pointed to "a serious safety issue" for nearby roads, footpaths, and in the air, because of the proposed turbine's size.

"It's very close to the 250-feet limit for low-flying aeroplanes," he commented.

"All drivers around Coniston will be affected by stroboscopic or flicker effect," agreed another resident.

Newcomers Maureen Kemp and Geoff Drewery added: "This will be seen by half of Ulverston.

It's going to be like a huge wheel in a pleasure park."

A Blawith resident commented: "This monstrosity on the top of Lowick Beacon is going to be horrendous."

Tommy Clegg, chairman of Lowick Parish Council, gave residents an hour to voice their opinions.

When he heard there was not a single dissenting voice to the campaign, he announced that the council would immediately formally object to the plan by Gloucestershire-based Next Generation Ltd.

Three neighbouring parish councils had already pledged objections, and two more had promised to hold emergency meetings, residents heard.

The next stage was to immediately bombard planning authority South Lakeland District Council with protest letters, said Mr Currie.

Objections had to be in by October 2, and a decision was likely to be made on October 31, said district councillor Noel Spendlove.

As reported in last week's Westmorland Gazette, Next Generation says it has looked closely at the site and points out that the Government has embraced a 22 per cent reduction target for carbon dioxide emissions.

It says the rent from the scheme would help the couple who own Lowick Common, on which the turbine would be built, to conserve it.

n Letters, P13