8th October 2007

Coronation Power received some community support for the Bickham Moor Wind Farm at their public exhibition on 4-5 October held in Rackenford, Mid-Devon. Approximately 70 local residents, including councillors, a county planning officer, and several colourful characters attended the public consultation held between 10am and 8pm each day in the Rackenford Club.

The exhibition’s primary purpose was to provide local residents with information about the planned wind farm at Bickham Moor, 8.5km northwest of Tiverton, Devon. Locals were given a greater understanding of the 4 turbine, 12MW wind farm via information packs, photo montages and a 3D computer model which showed residents a virtual reality view from their own home. It also gave locals the chance to meet with the Coronation Power team who willingly answered any queries.

The low turnout of only 70 locals demonstrates indifference amongst the community to the proposed wind farm. This low attendance occured despite local newspaper coverage, 300 letters to local government contacts, and flyering to all houses within a 3km radius and all villages within a 15km radius.

The anti-wind farm movement set up a small information stand out of the back of a truck outside the exhibition, the lead campaigner of which has never before seen a wind farm. It was acknowledged that this group was not a local Mid-Devon group, but were people from many miles away. This shows that the anti-wind farm voice is a minority in the local community.

There was positive local support for the wind farm including acknowledgement of the need for alternative power locally; for recreational use of cycling to, and camping near, the wind farm; and for investment in the area including road improvements.

If Bickham Moor wind farm is granted planning permission by Mid-Devon District Council, it will have the capacity to generate enough electricity to meet the domestic energy needs of approximately 6,700 homes, or 20% of Mid-Devon’s electricity requirements*. This would make a significant contribution towards meeting Devon’s renewable energy targets of 150 MW by 2010 designated in the Devon Structure Plan.

A comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment covering a range of issues such as landscape and visual impact, ecology, air traffic safety, archaeology, hydrology, socio-economics, electro-magnetic interference and transport will be submitted with the planning application for a wind farm later this month.

*Figures based on average annual household electricity consumption of 4.7 MWh as recommended by BWEA.