Ports company ABP keen to erect four giant wind turbines just yards from landmark dock tower

                                              

King of the castle? But dock tower may lose its crown if onshore turbines invade its kingdom   

GRIMSBY'S most famous landmark could be dwarfed if a proposal to install four wind turbines on adjacent dockland  goes ahead.

The Grade I tower is 94 metres high, while the proposed turbines could be as tall as 150 metres.

ABP is keen to proceed with the project both to control electricity costs and as part of ongoing decarbonisation initiatives.

Its agents, Green Cat Renewables says: "The company will continue to invest in additional solar  generation at the ports, but onshore wind will make a much more significant contribution to decarbonisation and cost control given its ability to generate 24 hours per day and typically more power in winter than summer. 

"ABP expects this will help secure the viability of the ports for the long term and provide an attractive place for business for existing and new customers, thereby helping to safeguard existing, and hopefully lead to more, local employment at the ports."

It is likely to be many months before any formal planning application is submitted to North East Lincolnshire, but, in the meantime, opinion is being sought from a range of consultees.

As as well being visually sensitive because of the dock tower, the site is environmentally important because of its proximity to mudflats which provide a feeding and roosting habitat for thousands of shorebirds, including curlews, knot and other declining species.

However, Green Cat Renewables say mitigation measures will be adopted "to avoid or minimise adverse impacts upon ornithological features".                                        

Curlews are wary birds and risk being displaced by the wind turbines