Published: January 10, 2012
Planned wind farm near Burnham-On-Sea is to be reduced in size

Energy firm Broadview announced on Tuesday (January 10th) that its proposed wind farm at Rooksbridge, near Burnham-On-Sea, is to be reduced in size from six wind turbines to four.

Initial assessments had indicated that the site may be suitable for a wind farm of six turbines with a height to the tip of the blade of 140m.

However, following a site investigation and community consultation, Broadview Energy has reduced the number of turbines to four and the height to 130m.

It made the announcement this afternoon as it unveiled the final design for its proposed Pilrow wind farm.

Since June last year, Broadview has consulted with a number of local stakeholders and consultees including residents, parish councils, Sedgemoor District Council, Natural England, English Heritage and the Environment Agency.

Tom Cosgrove, Project Manager, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We wanted to get as much input from the local community as possible through our various consultation events. We’ve listened to the feedback and, wherever possible, factored this into our final proposal."

"It is important to recognise that larger wind turbines produce more sustainable electricity. However, it is equally important to balance maximising the renewable energy benefits of the project against minimising potential impacts on the local environment. By reducing the size of the scheme, we believe that we have found the right balance for the Pilrow site."

"Finding sites that are suitable for wind farms is a complex process because there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. Following on from our initial detailed feasibility work, our studies have continued to demonstrate that the Pilrow site is an excellent location for a wind farm of this size."

Broadview will be holding a series of exhibitions in February to enable residents to view the plans in more detail.

A visit to an existing wind farm is also being planned for February which will give the community an opportunity to experience turbines in operation.

Detailed studies into the potential environmental impacts of the proposed wind farm are ongoing and the findings will be included in Broadview’s planning application to Sedgemoor District Council, which the company hopes to submit in the coming weeks.