Broadview

Broadview Energy Limited, the developer behind the proposed Starbold Wind farm between Knightcote and Bishop’s Itchington near Junction 12 of the M40 has submitted revised plans to Stratford-on-Avon District Council for the temporary erection of an anemometry mast on the site.

The planning application seeks a two year consent for the erection of a sixty metre high anemometry mast which would allow the collection of valuable on-site wind resource data. 

An initial planning application for the mast was refused by the Council in November of last year. Broadview subsequently lodged an appeal to the Secretary of State against the decision but this was dismissed in June of this year. In refusing the planning application, the Government Inspector concluded that the mast would have some limited harm to the landscape but that this was outweighed by the proposals important contribution toward a potential renewable energy project. However, the Inspector felt that the mast required the installation of bird deflectors in order to avoid birds colliding with the slim guy wires.  

Olly Buck, Broadview Energy’s Project Manager said: “After reviewing the decision of the Planning Inspector it was clear that he recognised the important role the mast has to play in the future development of a wind farm on the Starbold site. We have revised our plans in line with his conclusions and we now propose to install deflectors that will make the guy wires more visible to birds. They are small plastic tags placed along the guy wires and as such we do not consider that their inclusion will alter the Inspector’s findings, that there would only be a limited impact on the local landscape.”

Broadview held a public exhibition at Knightcote Village Hall in July where local residents had the chance to come and find out more about their plans for a five wind turbine scheme at the Starbold site. They are now working towards submission of a planning application to Stratford-on-Avon District Council later this year. Upon submission of the application the Council will undertake a wide ranging consultation exercise with a number of organisations as well as local residents before making a decision on the proposal.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Lisa Ross at Broadview Energy Limited (lross@broadviewenergy.com / 020 8487 9150) or Paul Taylor at (Paul@taylorkeogh.com / 020 3170 8465).

Notes to editors:

• Broadview Energy Limited (www.broadviewenergy.com) develops wind energy projects in the United Kingdom that will generate clean, sustainable energy. Broadview takes projects from site identification, through the planning process, to construction and ultimately operation. The company’s first wind farm (near Aberdeen) entered operation in January 2010. Broadview has a number of other projects at various stages of the development process throughout the United Kingdom.
• More information on the Starbold wind farm can be obtained via the dedicated project website: www.starboldwindfarm.com