Notts' second wind farm proposed for Hawton

14/06/2011

Farmland near Hawton could become home to Nottinghamshire’s second wind farm, redoubling the county’s contribution to reducing UK carbon emissions by 2020.

Initial studies have shown the site south of Newark to be an ideal location for five wind turbines, supplying enough green energy to run at least 6,000 homes every year for the next 25 years.

Less than one per cent of the county’s energy demands are currently met by its wind power facilities, with five turbines at the Lindhurst Wind Farm south of Mansfield generating enough energy for 5,000 homes.

Now, wind farm developer Wind Prospect Developments has submitted plans to Newark & Sherwood District Council for a 70-metre-high Wind Monitoring Mast on the site, to measure wind speeds and direction at different heights over the next two years.

The Bristol-based company is also undertaking ecological and heritage studies at the site; dubbed the Fox Covert Wind Farm.

Jonny Murphy, Senior Development Officer at Wind Prospect, said: “All the work we’ve done so far tells us that Fox Covert could be an exciting addition to the UK’s renewable energy network. Hopefully the surveys and monitoring mast will tell us we’ve got it right.

“We’ve been developing wind farms for more than 15 years. In fact, we developed the UK’s second wind farm. I believe we are the most responsible wind farm developer in the country. We want to see turbines developed in the most appropriate locations. We want to get it right and do right by the people who would be directly affected.

“There will be mixed feelings towards our proposal. There are those who embrace green energy wholeheartedly. Some people think wind farms are beautiful. Others see them as blots on the landscape. Then there are those who remain unconvinced by the technology.

“Over the coming months we’ll be creating lots of opportunities for everyone with an opinion, comment or question to meet us face-to-face, challenge us or just find out more.”

The ecological, noise and hydrology studies will be completed early next year. Wind Prospect hopes to submit a planning application for five 126-metre-high turbines at the Fox Covert site in summer 2012.

Newark and Sherwood District Council has up to eight weeks to determine the monitoring mast application, during which time the council will run a 21-day consultation with the public and statutory consultees, such as Natural England and English Heritage.

Wind Prospect will hold a public exhibition on the wind farm proposal later this year. Visit www.foxcovertwindfarm.com for more information.
 

Editors Notes

Media contacts Cristina Chapman Tel 07801 944948 or email cristina@threeseas.co.uk or Julia Smith on 01636 611774 email Julia@aurpr.co.uk

1. Wind Prospect is an independent renewable energy company, based in Bristol. It has developed some 60 wind energy projects (comprising 900 turbines) around the world. Wind Prospect built the UK’s second wind farm in 1992.
2. The UK adopted the Climate Change Act in November 2008, which sets a target for the UK to reduce carbon emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. It also set an interim target of a 34% reduction by 2020.
3. There are 297 operational wind farms in the UK, comprising 3,248 turbines which meet the annual electricity demands of some 2,991,888 homes. A further 38 wind farms are under construction comprising 1,255 turbines. Planning consent has been given for another 216 wind farms, comprising 1,993 turbines, which would supply a further 3,127,815 homes.
4. In addition to the Lindhurst Wind Farm, there are two individual turbines at Manton Wood and Hockerton in Nottinghamshire. The county’s seven wind turbines generate enough energy to supply some 7,276 of Nottinghamshire’s 500,000 homes.
 

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