West Coast Energy invites you to attend the public exhibitions as part of the launch of the Milborne Wind Farm project.
The proposed onshore wind farm development is north of Tolpuddle, southwest of Milborne St Andrew and currently comprises ten wind turbines which could provide clean energy equivalent to the annual electricity consumption requirements of some 14,000 homes, or more than one third of all domestic dwellings in the West Dorset area.
A couple of public exhibitions are to be held, on 14 and 15 August, as follows:
Tuesday 14th August 2012 – Tolpuddle Village Hall, 2-8pm
Wednesday 15th August 2012 – Puddletown Village Hall, 2-8pm
The exhibitions are being held to give the local community an insight into the proposed development. They will be public events open for attendance by anyone, and everyone will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals, ask questions and put forward views to the West Coast Energy project team directly.
West Coast Energy remains committed to the principle that communities should benefit financially from the generation of local renewable energy. By owning a share of the wind farm and using the income to fund projects that will better the community, residents are able to make a real difference to their environment.
In order for communities to participate and share in the benefits of local renewable energy generation West Coast Energy has an established policy to offer local communities a share in the ownership of the profit from wind energy generation by providing an annual payment to the community based upon 10% of the annual net profits from its wind farm developments.
For the Milborne Wind Farm this 10% of annual net profits effectively equates to the net profit from one of the 10 turbines – which will be dedicated as the “Community Turbine”.
West Coast Energy would secure all the necessary consents and financing facilities and procure, build and operate the turbine on behalf of the community. The community would then receive all of the net financial benefit from the generation of electricity from the turbine for the whole operational life of the wind farm. It would be down to local people to determine how the income from the community turbine should be spent on social, educational and environmental projects that will benefit the wider community.
Based upon an operational 10 turbine scheme, and taking into account present known financial and site technical data, the benefit generated by the Milborne Wind Farm community turbine is expected to total almost £7 million over the 25 year anticipated life of the wind farm.
If you require more information on this proposed development then please do not hesitate to contact Matthew Hayes on 01352 705236, email matthew.hayes@westcoastenergy.co.uk or visit West Coast Energy’s website: www.westcoastenergy.co.uk.
West Coast Energy Limited is a leading independent wind energy developer and operator based in Mold, North Wales. The company was established in 1996 and specialises in the identification, design, planning, development, construction and operation of wind energy projects. They recently won the Community Engagement Award in the RenewableUK Energy Awards 2012.
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UPDATE 16th August 2012
Dorset Energized volunteers Vince Adams and Theresa McManus attended these exhibitions – check out Vince’s response at: www.letsgetenergized.co.uk/archives/2012/08/16/a-response-to-the-milborne-wind-farm-proposal.
I see that the proposed Milborne Farm windfarm includes giving 10% of the net profits back to the local community. This looks to be a great offer, as there is no obligation on the developer to do this, but I wonder how it compares to other commercial wind farms voluntary contributions to local communities?
Much of the negativity toward alternative energy and transport and so on – I suspect derives from the notion that we are trying to suggest that we have the perfect solution to replace what currently exists – and when our solutions are of course not perfect (unlike the present situation – excuse my sarcasm :-) then they are rejected wholesale and outright. But not much we can do about that I suppose – except point out the practicalities and work with those who are not blinded by total prejudice.
“ten wind turbines which could provide clean energy equivalent to the annual electricity consumption requirements of some 14,000 homes, or more than one third of all domestic dwellings in the West Dorset area.” Go stick them in WEST Dorset then! Milbourne St Andrew is in NORTH DORSET! Bet you can’t get them to have them in Poundbury! NIMBY!
Marvellous to hear about this project. We are hugely in favour of clean power generation from wind. The ‘community turbine’ is a great idea – we can look forward to some tangible benefits in Tolpuddle and Milborne St Andrew in the years to come. We live in an elevated position in Milborne St Andrew (probably the highest house in the locality – and it has three storeys – so we should be able to see the turbines when they are built. We hope so.
Geoff & Susan Hodgson
very very concerned, and very opposed to the development for a number of reasons, the blight on the near by dwellings, will there be compensation, full market value compensation. Will it cause driver distraction on the A35 a busy road already blighted by road accidents? Wind power is expensive, uneconomic, there are far better ways of harnessing natural energy. Is the rush for this development more to do with the current subsidy rate and the threatened cuts that are coming in.
With the claims that West Dorset residents will benefit, can anyone explain how the North Dorset residents who will be most blighted are to benefit? As for any accusation of NIMBY, would the developers cherish having a windfarm in closeby?
What of the residents nearby who are severely Autistic, are the developers happy with the hell they would inflict on them?
North Dorset could very well do with some – I`d love to have some in my back yard :-) Though to be fair it isn`t big enough. All the same there is one of the smaller ones here in Milton Abbas and personally I think it looks beautiful and of course does beautiful things – like providing clean energy!
Am wholely opposed to this proposed development. Having previously lived in an area close to a wind farm and been exposed to the extremely annoying noise that these farms generate I would never ever support the building of another wind farm in a domestic or rural area.
There is a large expanse of sea out there, with much more wind out there – put them there please! I agree with other comments also – why is it being put in north dorset yet needs to go to west dorset council for approval? If West dorset are so keen to have wind turbines – find somewhere else for them !
I am keen to see how long it takes for Geoff and Susan Hodgson to sell their home after the new wind turbines arrive – you have clearly never lived close to any turbines and had to suffer the horrendous noise pollution that accompanies them. Anyone who is in support of these turbines so close to rural communities is ill informed. I am all for renewable energy but do not wish it to be so obtrusive in such a small area of natural beauty. The developers have gone about their business in previous areas (Cornwall) in an aggressive, under-hand manner yet you support this project within your local area. Surprising !
Regarding the North Dorset, West Dorset question – the boundary between the two passes somewhere between Tolpuddle and Milborne St Andrew and South of the A354. The proposed Wind Farm being also to the South of the border in West Dorset. Fortunately we live in a democracy so we all can have a say in such matters once the planning application is in progress. Personally I support this development and would have done so were I still living in Tolpuddle as I used to. And I do hope North Dorset gets one or more Wind Farms in the future as well. Off shore developments also of course make sense, but in terms of cost of electricity generated (and ultimately cost to the consumer) onshore is, at least for the moment, much cheaper.
Myself and everyone else I have ever met think wind turbines are beautiful and iconic! But much more importantly (as that’s just a personal choice and I don’t have one within view from my home), surely they are a necessity until we find better renewable energy sources and… TODAY?! To be honest I have no idea whether this is specifically an ideal location, but I’ve definitely never heard any argument that justifies being against wind turbines – noise and ugliness surely carry very little weight when we consider we may not even have a planet left to live if we don’t act now! People have been talking about being ‘green’ ever since I can remember – it’s time to stop talking about it and take action, and in the best way we can at this time including using on-shore and off-shore wind power. It’s just a shame that it’s the small minority of people opposed to wind power that seem to make the biggest noise! I really just don’t see we have much choice and I much prefer them over those horrendous pylons! Surely we must invest in more wind turbines and if happens to be on mine or your back yard I guess it’s either tough or we can move (although I would never actually wish that on anyone and of course life isn’t always that simple)! Sometimes we just have to make sacrifices for the good of the whole – there’s everyone else and a whole planet to think about here – and yes, even here in Dorset!!! I just hope people at least don’t right it off without having gone to this consultation first and/or asking the Developers questions… I guess we’ll see what happens next and will just have to trust they make the right decision for this area…
I am bemused by people who, rather than standing up and being counted, choose instead to snipe from the cover of anonymity. Is their moral cowardice anything to do, I wonder, with the fact that these people are unable to put the social good before their own perceived self-interest?
Let us debate the issues, and do each other the courtesy of letting people know with whom they are engaging in debate.
Dearest bloggers, I am very sorry if you feel that I am ‘sniping’ at anyone on this web-site. I am merely choosing to air my thoughts and opinions in a way that I choose to. I may be wrapped up comfortably in my anonymity but I feel that I am one of the few people on this site who is talking from personal experience of living close to a wind farm. Can I ask, are you speaking from real life experience of having lived very close to such a turbine? I have, and most definitely did experience noise pollution and rather frustratingly (as many of my neighbours found) when we tried to leave the area where said wind farm was, found that all of our property values had fallen by 18 – 20 % despite what the energy companies may quote.
I feel that it is important that everyone acknowledges that the companies who set up these wind farms are not doing this for the good of the environment or the community, they are doing it solely for profit. It sounds wonderful that potentially the local area could get £7m over the next 25 years, but please, has everyone lost sight that the company will therefore retain £63 million and furthermore £7m over 25 years will be significantly reduced by inflation. In 20 years time £7m will equate to essentially peanuts. Please bear in mind also the grants that said companies get to set up these wind farms. As much as we may all feel that it is our responsibility to protect our environment, these companies are purely driven by profit.
Fair enough – speaking from my own experience, I have an Electric Bike which has an older style (brushed) motor, and although it`s not loud, it certainly is far from silent. But if you come across one of the newer Electric Bikes equipped with a modern (unbrushed) motor, you`ll be hard pressed to hear it at all. The same seems to apply to Wind Turbines – the older, earlier models were apparently (as described by my fellow commenter) not quiet, but the newer ones are much quieter, technology having moved on (as it does). And here in Milton Abbas there is a Wind Turbine, located next to a farm and put there by the people who live there, so what can I say. As to profits – well that`s generally why anything happens in a free economy – apart from nuclear power of course, where the costs (of setting up and even more of dismantling) are so vast no private company is any longer willing to take such a thing on (from what I understand). Anyway it`s good to be airing our views (if you`ll excuse the pun) on this site, long may free speech continue!
No chance please for the sake of integrity you really have to give us some facts.
It makes no sence of siting WT’s over or very near to property and if mistakes have been made in the past surely its for all of us to see that this type of thing does not happen in the future….not put a stop to the whole idea…..which is rather like taking a hammer to crack and egg.
Its time to really move the argument on and debate and find solutions !!
I went to the consultation expecting to support the Milborne Wind Farm. I was disappointed by what I saw and heard. I felt short-changed on my queries about noise and vibration (although I have subsequently had more robust information provided by email, which I’m happy to share). The visual impact looks major to me. I was a bit shaken to learn that West Coast Energy can’t afford to do the whole development themselves, and will need to involve a much larger financial partner.
On the other hand, I don’t doubt that we need major development of renewable energy in Dorset. According to the county renewable energy strategy, wind is by far our biggest potential land-based resource for renewables. For Dorset to play its fair part in the national picture, we need to increase our generating capacity from renewables by 15 times (yes, really!) in the next 8 years.
I do however think that these developers need actively to make the case, and not just assume that their proposal will succeed because the need is so great. I also think that the community benefit needs to be clearly thought through and secured in such a way that future changes in the ownership or management of the wind farm – if it goes ahead – will not jeopardise the community’s interests. Does anyone know how to do this?
So there will be a “Commuity Turbine” will there? I suppose that this is a “sweetener” for the local residents? And I suppose that everyone within view of the turbine will receive free or discounted electricity when the 10 turbines are built. NO: for sure! As we are constantly lied to by the companies that install this technology, as to the efficiency (generally 10 – 30% of the maximum power output on the literature supplied by the installer), and the general “green” credentials of wind power, all these companies are interested in is making profit for themselves and their shareholders. They FAIL to mention that these turbines are not suitable for the British climate, which is the reason they are so inefficient in the UK. They also FAIL to mention the effect that the downwind turbulence has on the microclimate in the area. The turbulence caused as the wind spills over the blades (whether turning or not), mixes the air strata downwind of the turbine, which generally has a devastating effect on farm crops, forest ecosystems, and anywhere where the microclimate has not been disturbed for 100’s of years.
I have seen exactly what the residents of M. St. A. are doing for the environment and producing green energy. there solar pv panels sprouting up on roofs all over the village. If you cannot afford to buy the installation array to go on your roof, there are plenty of ways to generate, clean, green energy anyway. for example you can rent out your roof space to a solar pv company. Solar PV While not the most efficient method of electrical power generation is the least obtrusive, (dark roof, dark panels, no moving parts, no noise, no blinking sun reflecting blades). I AM all for renewables, but not the vicious eyesores that are wind turbines.
All this proposal is about is blinkering the local populus into believing that they will get something good out of it, but as others above have mentioned, it will result in a loss of property value, no free or discounted electricity, and eyesore on the horizon, and massive profits to the company that builds and installs them.
Dam off the Severn estuary and provide us with the TerraWatts of regular (twice a day guarunteed 24/7) electricity we need. And not the fickle, profiteering suggestion that is the Milborne Wind farm idea.
AND don’t make me get the activists involved, either.