April 7, 2015
England

Corringham: Wind farm offering £200 off electricity bills to more than 170 properties

The Epworth Bells & Crowle Advertiser | Tuesday 07 April 2015 | www.epworthbells.co.uk

Local businesses, community buildings and private residences near the site of RES’ proposed Brown’s Holt Wind Farm, near Corringham, will be eligible for an annual discount of £200 off their electricity bills if the wind farm goes ahead.

RES’ Local Electricity Discount Scheme (LEDS), which would begin making payments within the first year of operation, is open to all residential, business and community buildings (including schools, places of worship and village halls) that have an electricity meter and fall within 2,300 metres of each of the eight proposed wind turbines at the time of launch.

Chris Banks, RES Development Manager for Brown’s Holt Wind Farm, said: “The implementation of this innovative discount scheme is in response to consultation feedback from communities near both existing and potential wind development sites which highlighted that people felt cheaper electricity was the most practical benefit RES could offer.”

However, members of CANCAT (Corringham and Neighbouring Communities Against Turbines) are very concerned about the wind turbine plans, especially given the scale and potential impact of the proposed scheme.

Concerns include the impacts upon the existing landscape character, the impacts upon the settings of local villages, especially on the settings of a number of Grade I listed churches and other listed buildings, potential associated noise problems, potential effects on local businesses and tourism, harm to wildlife, especially birds, possible distraction to motorists on an adjacent dangerous red route and possible adverse effects on persons with certain medical conditions.

RES has written directly to the properties around the site that would be eligible to receive the electricity discount under LEDS, offering people the opportunity to register their interest in the scheme.

There is no need for participants to change electricity supplier to benefit from LEDS and participation in the scheme is entirely voluntary.

The discount is paid directly to the relevant electricity supplier.

Chris added: “The discount, which is index linked, will be paid for the full operational life of the wind farm, around 25 years.”

“If someone moves out of an eligible property during that time, then the annual discount will become available to the new electricity bill payer for that property.”

CANCAT are holding a public meeting for people who have concerns about the wind farms plans on Thursday 16th April at 7.30pm at the Corringham Village Hall, Middle Street, Corringham.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/04/07/corringham-wind-farm-offering-200-off-electricity-bills-to-more-than-170-properties/