Moor House wind farm proposals going on show

Tuesday 22 July 2008

Plans for a new wind farm on land to the north east of Darlington are set to be revealed at two public exhibitions later this month.

And should the scheme be approved, the communities around the development will benefit directly from a package of initiatives designed to help tackle fuel poverty, to enable community groups to install other forms of renewable energy and to give local people the chance to share in the profits from the scheme themselves.

The first exhibition will take place between 3pm and 7pm on Wednesday 30 July at Sadberge Village Hall, with the second happening between the same times on the following day at Harrowgate Club & Institute on Salters Lane North in Darlington.

Community feedback on the initial proposals will inform the final design of the scheme, and members of the Banks Developments team will be on hand at the exhibition to answer queries from local people about the proposed scheme and to gather feedback from them.

Banks Developments, which is behind the north east’s largest wind farm development at Tow Law, is already in discussion with Durham Tees Valley Airport and other consultees over the location and design of the proposed development, which would encompass up to ten turbines with a maximum tip height of up to 125m.

Rob Williams, renewables projects director at Banks Developments, says: “Banks believes it is very important that the communities in which energy generation from renewable sources such as wind farms takes place should benefit from it, and if the Moor House proposal is approved, we will implement a comprehensive package of measures which will have a direct and positive impact on the surrounding area.

“We would work to tackle ‘fuel poverty’ amongst local people by providing detailed information, expert advice and funding towards simple measures which can be taken to reduce energy consumption, hence cutting costs, carbon emissions and environmental impact.

“Banks would also provide specialist advice to local community groups and organisations on how they might use ‘micro-renewable’ sources of energy at their premises, such as solar, wind, water or ground source heat pumps, to meet their energy needs and provide example projects for the local community.

“And if local interest is sufficient, local people would also be able to share in the profits of the wind farm itself through investment in a financially-regulated local co-operative trust.”

The Moor House location has been chosen due to the suitability of the landscape and the recorded strength of the wind in the area, and an initial scoping report for the proposed development has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council.

Rob Williams continues: “The Moor House wind farm would provide enough renewable energy to power thousands of local homes and businesses without generating any harmful greenhouse gases.

“Feedback from local people will play an important part in the shaping of our plans, and we hope the maximum number of local people will come along to these exhibitions and give us their views on their plans.”

Anyone who cannot attend any of the exhibitions, but would like to request further information or provide feedback can do so by contacting community engagement coordinator Emily Hooson at Banks Developments on 01740 658500 or e-mail moorhouse@banksdevelopments.com

Last updated: Monday 04 August 2008, 17:17 PM