Since 2009 we’ve invested £500K in developing a 6-turbine 12-MW project near Shirebrook, Derbyshire. We’ve collected 2 years wind data, drawn up construction plans, assessed environmental impacts & developed financial models to prove we can make a cash surplus of £¾M a year. We’ve consulted widely to draw up a community strategy showing how we’d use the money to address many local needs. We have widespread support from all sectors of our community, which is in desperate need of income from a project like this.
We applied for planning permission in April 2012. After 15 months careful consideration, planning officers recommended approval, but the planning committee rejected the idea on the grounds it would affect views of National Trust properties over 4km away. Planning officers agree that the impact is not substantial & is far outweighed by the environmental benefit of carbon free electricity & the exceptional community benefit of all the income. We’re confident our appeal will succeed

What we'll deliver:

• Once we have planning permission we'll build the wind farm
• We will appeal the decision to refuse planning permission & ask the planning inspector to approve the application.
• We will appoint a highly experienced legal team to fight our case at the public inquiry.
• We will distribute all net profits to local communities for the next 25 years
• We will look for other opportunites to establish community owned renewable energy projects.

Why it's a great idea:

It will be a landmark community project - probably the largest wholly community owned windfarm in the country.
It will establish the principle that community owned power generation like wind, solar and hydro is the way forward for renewable energy in the UK, and for funding community needs.

Money generated from the wind farm will...
• Tackle Poverty and Social exclusion
• Support food banks, healthy eating and cooking activities
• Fund community gardening schemes
• Tackle fuel poverty through home insulation and small scale renewable installations
• Teach enterprise in secondary schools
• Support new and existing local enterprise(s)
• Develop new social enterprise
• Provide small community grants
• Raise aspirations, build skills and create opportunities for young people.

Steps to get it done:

• We're ready to get on with the job straight away, once the appeal is through.
• We've already secured major finance commitments for construction.

We have secured £75,000 towards appeal costs from social investment organisations who have supported the project over the last 3 years. They remain totally committed to the project and the principles of community ownership and renewable energy. Total appeal costs will be £101,000.

We believe the National Trust and English Heritage should not be allowed to sterilise development within such a wide area, given how far away the project is from both Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle. The narrow self-interest of these wealthy organisations should not be allowed to stand in the way of projects seeking to improve the lives of the poorest in our communities. We know our project won’t have a significant impact on local landmarks, that the production of renewable energy is essential in meeting our country's future energy demands, and that the community income generated by this project would have a massive impact on the lives of thousands of people in our area.

Please support our appeal.