Community wind in Herefordshire needs support

Supporters of community wind please click here:

http://planning.powys.gov.uk/portal/servlets/PlanningComments?REFNO=P/2012/0573

and register support for the Reeves Hill planning application. They will accept comments online but only for a few more days so please do it now.

The background: Since 2006, planning permission has been sought for 4 wind turbines at Reeves Hill on the Powys – Herefordshire border.

The developer and the land owner are working with Energy4All and Sharenergy so that one of the four turbines will be owned by a co-operative, enabling local people to invest in the project. A commitment to a substantial community fund of £40k per annum has also been made.

Planning consent has been granted by Herefordshire County Council for the wind turbines themselves and now permission from Powys Council is required just to build a short stretch of access track to get the turbines to site.

The application can be found on the Powys Council web-site here

http://planning.powys.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=104444

Don’t be fazed by the end date shown there , they are still accepting comments – you might like to include these points:

-Powys have lots of wind power, Herefordshire virtually none – please let us build this site which already has planning permission.
-Being a partly community owned facility, the income generated can remain locally.
-Wind power is a proven and cost-effective technology. Scotland is approaching 50% renewables, largely through wind – we need to catch up in England and Wales
-The scheme would provide electricity for between 4500 and 5000 households
-One of the four turbines will be owned by a Community Co-operative which people can join for as little as £250
-Substantial local employment and economic opportunities will be generated by the approximately £4.5mn that will be spent on construction
-Significant benefit will go to the Knighton Spaceguard Centre educational programme from the ground rental income of the Co-operatively owned turbine