Third wind farm for Warwickshire

EDF Energy and Broadview Energy were both granted approval to put up wind masts on land the firms have earmarked for wind farms, in Wormleighton and near Bishops Itchington respectively.

TCI says its wind power project, called Beacon Hill Wind Farm, if approved would generate between 12 MW and 18 MW of electricity for thousands of homes in the area and could set aside up to £37,500 a year for a community fund to be spent according to residents’ wishes.

Project manager Danny Maher said: “This site has a good wind resouce and is set back from properties in the area. The scheme itself will generate clean and green electricity for several thousand homes.

“Everybody will have a concern about anything that’s new and different. We would like to address and answer any questions that people might have as we go forward.”

Company director Bruce Hutt said: “There is an enormous requirement for renewable energy both to meet local and Government targets, as well as to help ensure security of our energy supply into the future.

“We are still at an early stage in the development process but confident that this is an excellent site and we would like to hear the views of others.”

But MP Jeremy Wright (pictured left), whose Kenilworth and Southam constituency includes all three sites, is supporting villagers who have opposed previous wind farm projects in the area.

The Conservative MP said: “At this stage the application is just for a wind measuring mast, so it is quite hard to object to on planning grounds, but my belief is that it will be the thin end of the wedge, and that wedge could result in a swathe of wind farms all the way down this beautiful vale.”

Mr Wright intends to object to TCI’s application to Stratford District Council to set up a mast to measure wind speeds on the Shuckburgh Estate.

www.beaconhillwindfarm.com