Scout Moor II meteorological mast gets the green light

Proposals for England’s largest onshore wind farm have taken a step forward with the approval of a temporary meteorological mast by Rossendale Council’s development control committee.  

Cubico Sustainable Investments is bringing forward plans for Scout Moor II, a proposed onshore wind farm in Rossendale and Rochdale.

Designed to generate up to 100MW of clean electricity, enough to power 100,000 homes annually, the project represents a major step toward the UK’s renewable energy ambitions while delivering meaningful environmental and community benefits.  

 A met mast is a tower designed to collect wind and weather data, which is essential for assessing wind conditions to support the long-term operation of the proposed Scout Moor II wind farm.

By collecting detailed wind data, the mast will provide critical insights into the prevailing environmental conditions within the potential development.  

 Peter Rowe, development manager at Cubico, said: "We are pleased with the committee’s decision to approve the met mast, which is an important step in progressing our plans for Scout Moor II.

"We have recently completed our second round of public consultation with the local community and are grateful for the thoughtful feedback we have received so far.

"As we work towards the submission of a planning application in the summer, we remain committed to open dialogue and ensuring that the project delivers long-term benefits for Rossendale, Rochdale and beyond.” 

The met mast will be located at Top of Leach, located outside Common Land and the Green Belt. It will be in place for two years and then fully decommissioned.

Cubico will provide advance notification to residents and stakeholders before the mast is deployed. 

An initial consultation for the scheme was held in November 2024 and Cubico refined the proposals based on environmental and technical assessments as well as feedback from residents.

Cubico is committed to delivering long-term benefits through its Community Wealth Fund, which will see a multimillion-pound investment into the local community over the project’s lifetime. 

For further details about the project, please visit www.scoutmoor2.co.uk