npower renewables has submitted a planning application to application to Huntingdonshire District Council for an eight turbine wind farm on farm land occupying the former WWII aerodrome between the villages of Graveley, Great Paxton, Toseland and Offord D'Arcy, Cambridgeshire.

Wind power is an essential part of the UK's commitment to tackling climate change and the proposed wind farm has a maximum generating capacity of between 16 and 24 megawatts (MW) of clean renewable electricity. With this capacity, a wind farm at Cotton Farm could meet the average annual electricity needs of between 6,900 and 10,000 homes each year. This figure takes into account predicted fluctuations in wind speed.

Kim Gauld-Clark, project developer for the Cotton Wind Farm proposal, said: "The UK Government is committed to reaching a target of supplying 15% of the country's electricity from renewable sources by 2015, and to meeting the UK's share of the European Union (EU) target to source 20% of the EU's energy from renewable sources by 2020. Onshore wind farms such as Cotton Farm are vital in meeting these challenging targets, and helping the UK to make a full contribution to the European effort towards tackling climate change."

The planning application for Cotton Wind Farm is accompanied by an Environmental Statement document, which details the various environmental studies undertaken for the project, covering all aspects of the proposal, from noise levels to wildlife. A non-technical summary of the Environmental Statement, which is a shorter document containing the key findings of the various environmental reports, is available to download. Please click the link on the right.

In order to make your thoughts on the proposed wind farm known, you should write to the Planning Officer who is dealing with the application.

It would be helpful if you quote both the planning application reference number (REF: 0802296FUL) and your address when writing to the planning department.

Ms Jennie Parsons
Planning Officer
Huntingdonshire District Council
Pathfinder House
St Mary's Street
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 3TN

The complete Environmental Statement (ES) can be viewed on the Huntingdonshire District Council website. You will need the reference number to find the application. The reference number is 0802296FUL.

A hard copy of the ES is also available from npower renewables, although a contribution to printing costs of £80.00 will be charged. If you would like to purchase a paper copy of the ES, please send a cheque payable to Npower Renewables Ltd to the East of England office at the address below.

The ES is also available electronically on a CD from npower renewables free of charge. If you would like to be sent a CD please contact the East of England office.

npower renewables
2nd Floor
2 Kinsbourne Court
96-100 Luton Road
Harpenden
Hertfordshire AL5 3BL
T: 01582 641910
E: cottonfarm@npower-renewables.com

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