A MAJOR sports wear chain has submitted a planning application for the creation of a new wind turbine at their West Cumbrian base - to try and make the base '100 per cent enviromentally friendly'.

New Balance Athletic Shoes (uk) Ltd have submitted an application for the siting of a 1MW Wind Turbine at their factory site in Fimby, Maryport.

The site, which already has 30 per cent of its electricty generated by three solar panels, aims to site the turbine to mean that 100 per cent of all electricty from the site will be generated by clean electricity.

The plans have been submitted to meet a 'wider ambition' from the company to generate 100 per cent of all electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

The proposed wind turbine is said to be planned to be situated within agricultural land where the public do not have access. The nearest footpath is situated to the east, beyond the field boundary.

Therefore planning documents say that the turbine is considered safe and would be regularly maintained, if it was to be approved.

A document supporting the application said: "As a business New Balance takes its climate responsibilities very seriously and has committed through RE100 Climate Group to sourcing 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025 across all global New Balance operations.

"The factory has a 40 year association with Allerdale and currently employs almost 300 people on the site. The Flimby factory is ideally situated adjacent to the Solway coast and "benefits" from a breezy aspect.

"Wind turbines maximise the use of a free, natural, pollutant free, renewable resource and will assist New Balance in its efforts to be a clean energy business, increase the reduction of CO2, reduce energy costs and minimise exposure to energy price volatility.

"As part of the global community, we have a responsibility to act on climate. This means drastically reducing emissions across our value chain and aligning our efforts with global climate goals."

The application was submitted to Allerdale Borough Council on March 9, and is now under a consultation process withing the council.