Windfarm could cause 'serious damage' to tourism (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Windfarm could cause 'serious damage' to tourism

8:55am Friday 27th May 2005 in News By The Westmorland Gazette

Building Britain's biggest windfarm at the "gateway to the Lake District" would hit Cumbria's tourist industry to the tune of £75 million a year and cause serious damage to the county's already fragile rural economy, it has been claimed.

Cumbria Tourist Board chairman, Eric Robson, told the Whinash Windfarm public inquiry on Wednesday that if the findings of a survey conducted in February proved true, more than a million visitors a year would stay away as a direct result of the highly controversial 27-turbine project.

The CTB carried out 449 face-to-face interviews in the Shap, Tebay and central Lakes areas to gather visitors' impressions of the development, proposed by renewable energy company Chalmerston Wind Power Ltd.

Mr Robson who is also chairman of the Wainwright Society and a well-respected TV and radio commentator on environment and landscape issues explained how Cumbria's tourism industry had grown from £947 million in 2000 to £1,069 million by 2003.

Go to News - Focus for the full story and more.