Main Menu
- Other links
- Sections
- About
This snapshot, taken on 04/12/2007, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.
The sites collectively known as the ‘3 Hs’ consist of a group of two turbines at Holmside Hall, south of Stanley in County Durham, two turbines at Hare Hill, east of Durham City, and three turbines at ‘High Volts’, west of Hartlepool. The 3 Hs are the first sites on the UK mainland where multi-megawatt 100-metre-tall turbines, of the type more commonly associated with offshore wind developments, have been installed. Each of the seven turbines has an installed capacity of 2.75 megawatts, giving the 3 Hs a cumulative installed capacity of 19.25 megawatts. This is sufficient generation to supply at least 11,650 households, or 28,000 people, and to prevent the annual emission of 44,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
At Holmside Hall, the local community already had direct experience of a modern wind farm in the area at Tow Law. Tow Law had been well received and has become a popular location for picnics. The reduction of public uncertainty was reflected in the relatively low number of objections to the Holmside Hall proposal, which was recommended for approval by planning officers and approved with little debate by the council’s planning committee. Concerns regarding potential noise from the Holmside Hall wind farm were addressed through the imposition of a planning condition limiting noise from the wind farm at nearby dwellings to 35 decibels. The wind farm will not be permitted to operate if this noise threshold is broken.
Hare Hill wind farm received little opposition and was granted planning permission by Durham City Council in 2001. The turbines were erected in late 2003.
High Volts wind farm consists of three 2.75-megawatt turbines, situated to the west of Hartlepool and immediately to the east of the A19 road. Nearby Teesside International Airport expressed concern that the proposal could have an adverse effect on its aeronautical radar, with associated safety implications. The Civil Aviation Authority stated that there was no available evidence that this would be the case. The scheme was granted planning permission and is now operational. Planning consent was granted on the condition that the operator contributed towards the reasonable costs, up to an agreed ceiling, of any radar impact remediation, should such work be required by the Civil Aviation Authority. The wind farm was commissioned in early 2004 and, to date, has had no adverse effect on the airport’s radar.
The first wind farm to be built in East Yorkshire was at Out Newton near Spurn Head. The wind farm consists of seven 1.3-megawatt turbines, sited a short distance inland from the coast. The wind farm provides a rental income for two farmers, representing a good example of farm diversification.
Before deciding on the most suitable locations for the turbines, ecology, noise and visual impact assessments were conducted. Wherever possible, the turbines were located as close as possible to existing access tracks to minimise the need for new construction. Presentations were given to the community and an information day was held, which ensured that local people’s views were taken into account. East Riding District Council initially refused the planning application, but it was subsequently approved on appeal.
Site construction contracts were awarded to local businesses, resulting in hundreds of thousands of pounds being injected into the local economy over the nine-month construction period. The 49-metre towers were delivered in two sections and assembled on site, while the 31-metre-long blades were delivered three to a trailer and assembled on site, before being lifted onto the tower by cranes. Underground cables alongside the access tracks transport the power to the local distribution network, without the need for pylons.
The wind farm was commissioned in February 2002. On average, its annual electrical output is equivalent to that used in approximately 5,500 homes and saves 22,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
In February 2002, a planning application was submitted for the 47.25-megawatt Edinbane wind farm on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. The location of the project was identified as an ‘area of search for wind energy’ in the adopted Skye and Lochalsh Local Plan and was outside any areas designated for their ecological or landscape importance.
The scheme had significant local support, particularly from the local crofting community who would benefit from rental income from the project. However, it also attracted considerable opposition. The concerns were effectively dealt with through an agreed series of planning conditions and a legal agreement requiring various types of impact mitigation both during and after construction.
The scheme received the overwhelming endorsement of a special planning committee at a hearing on Skye in November 2002. Construction is scheduled to start before the end of 2005.