The wind power plant proposal
A company called Volkswind submitted a Scoping Report in March 2010 to South Cambridgeshire District Council. This Scoping Report is an initial proposal to build a large wind power plant to the north of Heydon village.
The Scoping Report identifies the following as part of the wind power plant infrastructure:
- 8 wind turbines, at a height of 126.5 metres;
- Foundations for the wind turbines with a diameter of 17.3 metres and 235 square metres;
- Infrastructure which includes access tracks, transformers, a substation and underground cabling;
- A temporary construction compound;
- A temporary meteorological mast for the first year of operation.
On the scale that it is proposed, the wind power plant could generate a maximum of 18.4 megawatts of electricity each year.
To view the Scoping Report in full, please see the links below from the South Cambridge District Council’s web site:
Scoping Report Part 1
Scoping Report Part 2
Scoping Report Part 3
Scoping Report Part 4
Scoping Report Part 5
The 6 turbine layout has been superceded but details of the plan are still available:
HG_6_layout_09_06.pdf
We are still attempting to get more solid information on the new 8 Turbine Layout:
HG8_turb_011010fw.pdf
About Volkswind
Volkswind UK Ltd is the UK subsidiary of Volkswind GmbH, a privately-owned German company, founded
in 1993. The UK subsidiary is based in Manchester and was set up in 2005.
They currently have facilities producing in the region of 250MW of energy across the world
(largely in Germany). This proposed project at Heydon Grange is designed to generate 18.4MW,
so its construction would represent a very significant addition to their portfolio.
Because of this, we believe that Volkswind will make every effort to get this proposal approved.
As well as Heydon Grange (8 turbines), they are currently working on several projects in the UK (at varying stages of development), including (but not limited to):
- Ringstead Grange, Northamptonshire (5 turbines)
- Spaldington Common, East Yorkshire (7 turbines)
- Watford Lodge, Northamptonshire (5 turbines)
- Blackburn Farm, Grantshouse, Berwickshire (14 turbines)
- Melmerby, Ripon, North Yorkshire (7 turbines)
- Upper Kidston Farm, Peebles, Scottish Borders (max 10 turbines)
The Volkswind website which promotes the project at Ringstead Grange (http://www.ringsteadgrangewindfarm.co.uk ) contains a typo referring to Heydon Grange, which demonstrates that they have already designed a similar website for the proposed development at Heydon Grange.
In 2009, Volkswind started the process of proposing a group of wind turbines near East Meon in Hampshire. However, they shelved their plans when they got a feel for the strength of the opposition which they would face. It goes to show that early opposition is effective!
Pegasus Planning Group is a consultancy engaged by Volkswind to help them through the planning process and who compiled the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Scoping Report which was submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council.
The timeline so far
January 2009
- Volkswind begin surveys of the area to inform their Scoping Report. The company commissions a Habitat Survey to assess the ecological impact of the proposed wind power plant.It is widely considered that January is the wrong time of year to carry out a Habitat Survey effectively.
March 2010
- A Scoping Report is submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council by Volkswind.
April 2010
- The Parish Councils of Heydon and surrounding villages are asked for an opinion on the Scoping Report.
- The Heydon Grange Action Group is formed.
October 2010
- The Action Group website goes live.
- Revised plan is discovered.
- 2nd revised plan details increase from 6 to 8 turbines.
The possible process
A development of this size, which the developers themselves have stated would have a significant affect on the local environment, needs to go through a mandatory planning process, overseen by South Cambridgeshire District Council. South Cambridgeshire District Council is the 'Planning Authority' for this proposed wind power plant and will make the final decision as to whether the scheme should go ahead or not.
A description for how the process might work is detailed below but please note it is intended as guidance only, and may change over time.
Scoping Report
A Scoping Report helps to inform what is known as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and is submitted by the wind power plant developer to the Local Planning Authority (LPA); in this case, South Cambridgeshire District Council. The Scoping Report identifies the location and context of the proposals, and identifies any possible affects the proposals may have on the local environment. The Scoping Report also asks the LPA for their views on what information should be covered in the Environmental Impact Assessment. This is known as a Scoping Opinion.
Scoping Reports are only required for developments that are likely to have significant effects on the environment due to their size, nature or location.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Statement
Once the LPA has given their scoping opinion, it is up to the developer to decide how they would like to proceed, and whether they would like to start an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). If Volkswind do want to proceed with their proposals, an EIA would need to be submitted by Volkswind to South Cambridgeshire District Council within a year of the Scoping Report (which would mean the EIA would need to be submitted by May 2011). The EIA needs to be undertaken by Volkswind, from which an Environmental Statement (ES) will be produced.
Planning Application
Once all of the above has been completed, a Planning Application and the Environmental Statement can be submitted to the Planning Authority (South Cambridgeshire District Council). This is a formal request for permission to go ahead with the development.
Public Consultation
Once the Planning Application and the Environmental Statement has been submitted, a public consultation should then take place on the proposals, organised by both Volkswind as the developer, and South Cambridgeshire District Council, as the Planning Authority.
Public consultation can take the form of writing to local residents and interest groups for their opinions, exhibitions in the local area, surveys, public meetings and one-to-one meetings. A good public consultation for proposals on this scale should involve all of the above.
Once the public consultation has finished, the results will be analysed and some changes may be made to the proposals, depending on feedback.
Decision on the scheme
The Planning Application (with any amendments) could then be submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council's planning committee for a final decision on whether the wind power plant can proceed.