Cottage Farm, Blidworth

The JHWalter Energy Team successfully secured planning permission for a single 500kW wind turbine at Cottage Farm, Blidworth, Nottinghamshire next to the existing Blidworth wind farm in September 2013.

Cottage Farm first considered the opportunities of a wind turbine on its landholding in 2012, as a development to provide a farming diversification project and to offset the high level of Greenhouse Gases generated by the farm.

After detailed feasibility work, JHWalter submitted the application for the 102 metre tip high wind turbine in June 2013. After analysing the proposed merits of the application against the likely local impacts, Newark & Sherwood District Council granted planning permission, as it felt the positive benefits of the wind turbine outweighed any potential negatives to the surrounding area.

The location of the wind turbine was chosen after extensive feasibility work, including the following considerations:

• Suitable distance from the nearby dwellings to ensure noise and shadow flicker would not adversely affect nearby dwellings and residents
• Suitable standoff distance from nearby trees and hedgerows to ensure no adverse impact on ecology
• Most suitable location of the nearest access road for the delivery of the turbine’s components
• Located where the turbine would have no impact upon on military and civil aviation operations and radar
• Close proximity to a good grid connection point
• Located in a position which would not have an adverse impact on radio and telecommunication links and TV reception.