BROADVIEW TO SEEK LOCAL OPINION ON WINDFARM PLAN
Broadview Energy Limited has today announced that it is considering the development of a small wind farm on land between Kimbolton and Stow Longa, and it is holding ‘drop-in’ sessions (July 13/14) so that local people can find out more about its plans.
The company, which is developing a number of other small wind farm projects in England and Scotland, has identified the site, near the Bicton and Harvards Way Industrial Parks, as a possible location for wind turbines and now needs to carry out a series of technical and environmental studies on the site and the surrounding area to confirm its initial findings.
Broadview has submitted a “Scoping Document” to Huntingdon Council that outlines the studies that are to be carried out, and to ask the Council whether any additional studies will be needed as part of the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The Council will consult on the Scoping Document with the parish councils, the Environment Agency, the Highways Agency, other government agencies and organisations such as Natural England and the RSPB.
Jeffrey Corrigan, Managing Director of Broadview Energy said: “From our initial studies, we believe that the site could be an ideal spot for a small wind farm. It’s windy and it’s set back from residential areas. It has good access to the electricity distribution system and it shouldn’t interfere with local airfields. However, these are preliminary studies and so we now need to carry out very detailed work to confirm our initial views. The results of the EIA, along with our consultations with local residents and others, will establish the viability, size and precise location of a wind farm and whether or not we decide to take forward a scheme for planning approval by Huntingdon Council.”
Public consultation will be an important part of Broadview’s work over the coming months. The company has already started talking with local residents about its plans. A website on the Bicton project has been launched, which contains information on the company, its other projects, its development approach and the types of studies that will be carried out (www.bictonwindfarm.co.uk). A newsletter on the project is being distributed to local residents and next month, the company will be hosting two “drop-in” public consultation sessions for people to learn more about the plans and meet the Broadview team.
The drop-in sessions are on Monday, July 13th (4.00pm to 8.00pm) at The Queen Katharine Building, Kimbolton School and Tuesday, July 14th (4.00pm to 8.00pm) at St Botolph Church Hall in Stow Longa.
Later in the year, if the EIA studies and other technical reports confirm that the site is suitable for a wind farm, Broadview Energy will hold a series of exhibitions where people would see the design and layout of the proposed scheme.
Jeffrey Corrigan added: “We want to ensure that the local community is fully aware of our initial plans, our reasons for choosing Bicton and the steps that we will be taking to fully assess the site. In addition, we want to explain the reasons why onshore wind farms still need to be built in the east of England. In turn, we want to hear people’s views about our plans and how they see renewable energy in helping to improve the environment and to secure the country’s energy future.”
Notes to Editors:
1.Broadview Energy Limited (www.broadviewenergy.com) develops wind energy projects in the United Kingdom that generate clean, sustainable energy. Broadview takes projects from site identification, through the planning process, to construction and ultimately operation. The company focuses on small projects, typically between two and ten turbines. It currently has a number of projects under various stages of development throughout the United Kingdom.
2.The Government has a target of 15% of all the electricity produced in the UK to be from renewable sources by 2015; currently the figures sit at approximately 5%.
3.The East of England Plan, The Revision to Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England (May 2008), sets out the following minimum regional renewable energy installed capacity targets: 1,192MW by 2010 (820MW excluding offshore wind) and 4,250MW by 2020 (1,620 MW excluding offshore wind).
Paul Taylor: paul@taylorkeogh.com / 020 3170 8465
Broadview Energy Limited has today announced that it is considering the development of a small wind farm on land between Kimbolton and Stow Longa, and it is holding ‘drop-in’ sessions (July 13/14) so that local people can find out more about its plans.
The company, which is developing a number of other small wind farm projects in England and Scotland, has identified the site, near the Bicton and Harvards Way Industrial Parks, as a possible location for wind turbines and now needs to carry out a series of technical and environmental studies on the site and the surrounding area to confirm its initial findings.
Broadview has submitted a “Scoping Document” to Huntingdon Council that outlines the studies that are to be carried out, and to ask the Council whether any additional studies will be needed as part of the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The Council will consult on the Scoping Document with the parish councils, the Environment Agency, the Highways Agency, other government agencies and organisations such as Natural England and the RSPB.
Jeffrey Corrigan, Managing Director of Broadview Energy said: “From our initial studies, we believe that the site could be an ideal spot for a small wind farm. It’s windy and it’s set back from residential areas. It has good access to the electricity distribution system and it shouldn’t interfere with local airfields. However, these are preliminary studies and so we now need to carry out very detailed work to confirm our initial views. The results of the EIA, along with our consultations with local residents and others, will establish the viability, size and precise location of a wind farm and whether or not we decide to take forward a scheme for planning approval by Huntingdon Council.”
Public consultation will be an important part of Broadview’s work over the coming months. The company has already started talking with local residents about its plans. A website on the Bicton project has been launched, which contains information on the company, its other projects, its development approach and the types of studies that will be carried out (www.bictonwindfarm.co.uk). A newsletter on the project is being distributed to local residents and next month, the company will be hosting two “drop-in” public consultation sessions for people to learn more about the plans and meet the Broadview team.
The drop-in sessions are on Monday, July 13th (4.00pm to 8.00pm) at The Queen Katharine Building, Kimbolton School and Tuesday, July 14th (4.00pm to 8.00pm) at St Botolph Church Hall in Stow Longa.
Later in the year, if the EIA studies and other technical reports confirm that the site is suitable for a wind farm, Broadview Energy will hold a series of exhibitions where people would see the design and layout of the proposed scheme.
Jeffrey Corrigan added: “We want to ensure that the local community is fully aware of our initial plans, our reasons for choosing Bicton and the steps that we will be taking to fully assess the site. In addition, we want to explain the reasons why onshore wind farms still need to be built in the east of England. In turn, we want to hear people’s views about our plans and how they see renewable energy in helping to improve the environment and to secure the country’s energy future.”
Notes to Editors:
1.Broadview Energy Limited (www.broadviewenergy.com) develops wind energy projects in the United Kingdom that generate clean, sustainable energy. Broadview takes projects from site identification, through the planning process, to construction and ultimately operation. The company focuses on small projects, typically between two and ten turbines. It currently has a number of projects under various stages of development throughout the United Kingdom.
2.The Government has a target of 15% of all the electricity produced in the UK to be from renewable sources by 2015; currently the figures sit at approximately 5%.
3.The East of England Plan, The Revision to Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England (May 2008), sets out the following minimum regional renewable energy installed capacity targets: 1,192MW by 2010 (820MW excluding offshore wind) and 4,250MW by 2020 (1,620 MW excluding offshore wind).
Paul Taylor: paul@taylorkeogh.com / 020 3170 8465
