Project evolution
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The site’s potential has been examined over a two-year period and the layout has been through several changes during that time. The amenity constraints have been taken into account from day one, so technical or ecological issues, which often echo the views of community members, have dictated most of the changes.
The table below summarises the changes that have been made to the proposed wind farm since our exhibitions in November 2009.
| November 2009 proposal |
Planning application proposal |
Rationale |
| 21 wind turbines |
20 wind turbines |
An analysis of the bird data and consultation during the environmental impact assessment found three wind turbines needed to be removed to reduce the impact on ecology to acceptable limits. Two new turbines have been added on land adjacent to the original site. |
| 2.5 to 3MW capacity wind turbines |
3MW capacity wind turbines |
We have confirmed that 3MW machines may be suitable for the site and provide a higher peak power output within the original height-limit and environmental constraints.
Each turbine has its own “power curve” that defines how much electricity will be generated under specified wind conditions. We estimate that the wind farm would generate up to 134GWh of electricity each year.
The average home consumes approximately 4700kWh of electricity each year. |
| 125m height to blade tip |
125m height to blade tip (i.e. no change) |
| 52.5 to 63MW total installed capacity |
60MW total installed capacity |
| Generating enough electricity to meet the average needs of approximately 30,000 homes |
Generating enough electricity to meet the average needs of approximately 28,500 homes |
| 1.5km wide corridor through the site to retain the bird flight path between the estuary and the lagoon |
Corridor increased to 1.8km wide |
The need to maintain a corridor was established following initial bird surveys, but the full requirement could only be determined after consultation with Natural England, the RSPB and other stakeholders. |
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20 hectares of new habitat enhancement (equivalent to approximately 23 football pitches) |
The proposals include approximately 20 hectares of superior habitat that would be created through a habitat creation and management plan to mitigate the impact of the wind farm on the site’s existing habitat. |
The final layout has changed to reflect these changes.
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