Specialist Planning and Environmental Input Provided to Community Wind Energy Project

Specialist environmental firm SLR Consulting (UK) has been working with Valley Wind Co-operative Ltd to develop a community based wind energy scheme, near Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire. 

The project will generate around 18 million Kwh of renewable electricity a year, the same amount of energy used by the local community. The low-carbon scheme will also save over 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

The development will be owned by the community-based co-operative and will include a significant community fund to fund other local projects.

SLR provided advice and guidance on the development of the planning application and Environmental Impact Assessment to the Co-operative including carrying out ecological, hydrological, transport, shadow flicker and cultural heritage assessments as well as preparing the Planning Statement. 

SLR also played a key role in pre-planning application submission discussions with the local planning authority and other stakeholders. This included a two day public consultation event, held in Slaithwaite, which was attended by almost 200 people. Attendees were asked whether they would support the community scheme of which a substantial 91 per cent of respondees indicated that they would.

SLR Project Manager Clive Fagg said: “This project is a great example of what an enthusiastic and highly organised local community can achieve. Community renewables is a key aspect of the Government’s energy policy and one which we see being a major growth area in 2014 and beyond. The project further strengthens SLR’s rapidly expanding list of community renewables project experience throughout the UK and Ireland.”

Steve Slator, Chair of Valley Wind Co-operative Ltd, said: “SLR Consulting has provided a professional service to guide Valley Wind Co-operative through the planning and EIA process for our wind energy project. SLR has always been on hand to provide clear and concise support for us as people with limited experience of wind energy and the planning process.”