Concerns grow over proposed wind farm for Polegate

Concerns continue to grow with regard to the proposed wind farm planned for land in Polegate, close to Shepham Lane, billed to be with us by 2013 ‘generating electricity for up to 6,000 people’.

The planning application, put forward by Galiford Try Renewables (GTR) to East Sussex County County Council, is now available for public viewing. All the documents concerned, now in the public domain, are available here to download.

The submission details the blueprint for a five-turbine wind farm following what the company describes as ‘an in-depth public consultation programme’.

GTR says that they have been ‘exploring the possibility of a small wind farm near Polegate and Stone Cross since 2009′.

East Susex County Council is about to embark on its own formal consultation with residents ‘during which time their views can be made known’. In addition the Council has publicly stated its intention to ‘consult with a number of organisations before making a decision on the planning application’. To date, none of these ‘organisations’ appears to have been identified.

Concern amongst Bay Life readers and local residents has grown since the planning application became public knowledge. Seasoned campaigner and long-term champion of local public economic initiatives, Joyce Richards commented;

‘Coming soon to a field near you… you won’t need to book a seat, 5 Turbine Wind Farm, opposite Priesthawes, Shepham Lane, Hailsham Rd.. Sensational – don’t miss it – each Turbine 126.25 metres tall!

Close observers of the plans have noted that the company has failed to declare that the ‘in-depth public consultation‘ saw a less than enthusiastic poll. The result was hardly an overwhelming endorsement of the scheme, with a 50-50 response from local people.

A number of people have aired their environmental concerns both on the grounds of the view and the noise, with claims that a solar farm could generate an equal amount of, if not more, electricity.

If granted planning permission, the company claims that Shepham Wind Farm would have an installed capacity of 10 to 12.5MW and could generate between 26,280MWh and 32,850MWh of electricity each year.

This, they say, would be enough clean electricity to power 5,590 to 6,900 homes, which is around the combined number of households in Polegate and Westham. They further claim that the wind farm could also save 11,000 to 14,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum.

With what very much looks like ‘a sweetner’ to win local support, Galiford Try Renewables say they will set up what they call a ‘Community Benefit Fund’.

The page online to promote this fund, sadly says next to nothing about the nature of the fund or the kinds of resources that might be made available to people In Polegate, Westham or anywhere else for that matter. The statements, should this major development in the local landscape be given the go ahead, hardly inspire confidence about the company’s good intent or their understanding of the concerns of local people.

This fund, set up upon completion of the wind farm, would provide an annual sum of money from which a wide range of local community groups or projects could see financial benefit, and which would be run by local people.

Over the coming weeks and months, Bay Life will be collecting local views of the plans and publishing comment, opionion and further information about the proposed wind farm. If any readers would like to make public their comments they can contact us here

Below are the documents for the Shepham Wind Farm Environmental Statement made available to download.

* Non Technical Summary (4.81 MB)
* Parts 1 & 2: Introductory and Assessment Text (2.86 MB)
* Part 3, Supporting Figures (29.328 MB)
* Part 4, Volume 1: Technical Appendices (13.56 MB)
* Part 4, Volume 2: Technical Appendices (15.73 MB)
* Part 4, Volume 3: Technical Appendices (6.06 MB)
* Planning, Design and Access Statement (590.22 KB)
* Statement of Community Consultation (18.03 MB)