Flimby Hall Wind Farm

As reported in our last article in the summer edition of the Phoenix, West Coast Energy Limited, on behalf of Flimby Wind Energy Limited, submitted a planning application to Allerdale Borough Council which sought to increase the height of the turbines from the approved height of 60m to hub and 102m to blade tip to a height of up to 70m to hub and up to 115m to blade tip. The site layout remains unchanged from the approved scheme.

One of the main reasons behind seeking to increase the height of the turbines is to increase the energy efficiency and the amount of electricity produced. For an approximate 13% increase in height, there would be an approximate increase in energy production of 26%. As such, increasing the height of the turbines increases the overall quantity of green electricity generated and thus increases the environmental benefits. The environmental impact studies undertaken demonstrated that there would be no significant difference between the impacts of the approved scheme and the height increase scheme.

As part of the turbine height increase, it is proposed to increase the community benefit fund from the existing amount of £2000 per MW of installed capacity to £3000 per MW of installed capacity. Based on an installed capacity of 7.5 MW (i.e. 3 x 2.5 MW turbines) this fund would provide some £22,500 each year and £562,500 over the life of the wind farm (an increase of £7,500 each year and £187,500 in total from the previous amount).

The height increase planning application was reported to Allerdale Borough Council’s planning committee on 10 November with a positive officer recommendation for approval. Both Cumbria County Council and Natural England raised no objection to the height increase. Members however voted to refuse planning consent on the grounds of impact on visual amenity, the landscape and birds (despite no objections being raised from nature conservation consultees).

West Coast Energy were extremely disappointed over this decision, particularly given the support received from the Council’s own professional planning officers and lack of objection from statutory bodies. As such, we have submitted an appeal against the refusal to the Planning Inspectorate.

The appeal was registered on 16 December and will be determined via the written representations method. If you feel you would like to support our proposal, please write to the Planning Inspectorate at the address below, quoting appeal reference no APP/G0908/A/09/2118993/NWF.

Planning Inspectorate
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN

Notwithstanding the appeal, work continues “behind the scenes” to prepare for a start on the construction of the wind farm. To date we have undertaken site investigations including seismic surveys and boreholes to build a picture of what the site is like under the surface, and this will be fed into the foundation design. One of the mitigation measures proposed as part of the development was the undertaking of additional great crested newt surveys, and these are now completed. A test run using a vehicle of the same length that will be required to transport the turbine blades was undertaken in April 2009 from the M6 motorway along the approved transportation route to the site. We are also in discussions with turbine manufacturers and expect to make a decision on turbine model in a few months. Many will be aware that a new monitoring mast will by now have been erected. It’s predecessor was vandalised recently and those responsible were very fortunate to have escaped injury from a couple of tonnes of failing steel and cable. We will post regular updates of the construction process in future editions of the Phoenix.

If you would like to know more about the proposed wind farm development or its associated community benefit initiatives, contact Samantha Crosby on 01352 757604 or e-mail: info@westcoastenergy.co.uk .

Samantha Crosby
23 December 2009

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