November 6, 2013
England

Wind farm proposed for Melton airfield

Melton Times | 05 November 2013 | www.meltontimes.co.uk

Proposals have been unveiled for a five turbine wind farm on the Melton airfield site, between Great Dalby and Melton.

A draft layout plan shown by Reading-based developers Wind Ventures (the positioning of the turbines is still to be finalised) shows three 426ft (130m) high turbines on one side of the B6047 Dalby Road and two same-sized turbines on the other side.

Wind Ventures has already leafleted 10,000 local homes about its plans and a series of exhibitions are to be held for residents to get more information about the wind farm which is anticipated to generate enough electricity to power about 5,179 homes.

As part of its proposals the developer is offering a £50,000 community benefit fund per year for the lifetime of the wind farm (should the five turbines be installed), money which could be spent on local groups on projects.

But some objectors have already dismissed this as a ‘sop’ as well as being only a tiny amount compared to the millions the company will make per year.

Project manager Adrian Butler said: “We want to listen to and understand the views of local people and feed them into the development process before we finalise our layout and submit an application.

“We will be holding a series of exhibitions so that as many local people as possible can come and learn about the site, the evolution of the project plans and what the next stage in the development process is.

“We will also share information about the community benefit fund we are proposing and ask residents on how they think this money could be best used. Furthermore the project team will be on hand to discuss the proposal in more detail and answer any questions people may have.”

Gerald Digby, chairman of Burton and Dalby Parish Council, said: “It will undoubtedly create a lot of concern in the area.

“My initial reaction is that these turbines would be very close to Great Dalby, Burton Lazars and Melton.”

In 2011 proposals were unveiled by another energy firm, Nuon Renewables, to build a five turbine wind farm at the airfield but that project failed to materialise.

The dates, times and venues of exhibitions are:

n Wednesday (November 13), 2pm-7pm, Kirby Bellars Village Hall, Main Street, Kirby Bellars

n Friday, November 15, 2pm-7pm, Great Dalby Village Hall, Top End, Great Dalby

n Saturday, November 16, 10am-noon, Burton Lazars Village Hall, Burton Lazars

n Saturday, November 16, 1.30pm-4pm, Melton Carnegie Museum, Thorpe End, Melton

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/11/06/wind-farm-proposed-for-melton-airfield/