Wind farm developers ready to submit plans

Published on 31st May 2007 in News

Your Energy held a second exhibition at Eastrington Village Hall yesterday to update people about their plans to build a wind farm between Howden and Gilberdyke. The company is now ready to submit the planning application for the Sixpenny Wood Wind Farm and has concluded that everyone is happy with the plans.

The wind farm is a £20 million project which would see ten wind turbines located on farmland in the area. This would provide renewable energy for up to 15,000 homes.

The wind farm will drum up lots of opportunities for the local community and residents living near the proposed site are now the biggest supporters, claim Your Energy.

The firm says it has that all problems were ironed out before they applied for planning permission. These included objections about air safety and objections from the RSPB over the danger for birds. Some local residents also had reservations about noise pollution, the visual impact of the turbines and whether they would affect house prices.

Matt Kelly, from Your Energy, said: "We wanted to make sure everyone was happy before we went ahead and applied for planning permission. Previous objectors over environmental and conservation issues are now happy."

The wind farm has taken two years to get to the stage of planning application, through many 'rigorous and comprehensive' studies drawing on experts in various fields including ecology, landscape, noise, aviation and construction.

In doing so Your Energy say they have proved that there are no endangered species of birds in the proposed area. They also state that they have tested the background noise of the turbines for two weeks and found that it impossible for the turbines to be a noise disturbance. They have also stated that the turbines will not affect house prices in the area.

At least half a million pounds worth of funds invested by Your Energy will go straight into the community by a fund set aside for worthwhile projects in the area. There are also many opportunities for local contractors with people and services required for a variety of different areas including electrical skills, crane handlers, safety consultants and operation and management consultants.

It takes between six and 12 months to finance and engage contractors and then approximately nine months to build the wind farm. If planning permission is granted it is expected that the project will start producing energy in 2009.