September 8, 2011
England

Plans revealed for wind farm near M48 motorway by Ingst Hill

By Liza-Jane Gillespie, Gazette, www.gazetteseries.co.uk 8 September 2011

Plans have this week been revealed to build three 126-metre high turbines near the M48.

REG Windpower, the green energy company behind the proposals, wants to build the wind farm on land near Ingst Hill.

According to Sophie Hartfield, project developer, the wind farm would generate enough electricity to power 3,600 local homes.

Ms Hartfield said the site had been identified by the company as a suitable location for a wind farm because of its proximity to other large infrastructure such as the M5 and M48 motorways, the old Severn crossing and the number of electricity pylons in the area.

She said: “We would never be dismissive of people’s concerns but we wouldn’t say the view is unspoilt at the moment.”

The 126-metre high turbines would be shorter than the electricity pylons, which are 148 metres high, and the old Severn crossing, which is approximately 135 metres high.

REG Windpower are now beginning a public consultation, and have sent letters to 1,640 homes and businesses within two-and-a-half miles of the proposed wind farm site about the project inviting them to two public exhibitions being held later this month.

Ms Hartfield said: “We try to work very hard to include as many people as we can.”

If successful with the application the company has said it would create a community scheme, whereby local residents and groups would be able to benefit from the turbines.

REG Windpower has submitted a preliminary scoping request application, which looks at environmental issues, to South Gloucestershire Council this week, along with an application for a 16-metre high Lidar monitoring mast, which will be a sonar device that records wind speeds.

The company hopes to have the M48 wind farm, as it will be known, built and operational by 2013.

REG Windpower will be running public exhibitions about the wind farm at Olveston Parish Hall on Friday, September 23 (4-8pm), and at Pilning Village Hall on Saturday, September 24 (10am-3pm).

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/09/08/plans-revealed-for-wind-farm-near-m48-motorway-by-ingst-hill/