Firm opens the debate on energy proposals (From The Northern Echo)

Banks Developments initial report for wind farm

8:37am Monday 14th December 2009 in News By Paul Cook

A PROPOSED two-pronged energy project will provide heating and electricity to an industrial estate and thousands of homes.

County Durham-based firm Banks Developments has prepared an initial “scoping” report for the wind farm and combined heat and power (CHP) scheme in Stillington, north west of Stockton.

Detailed proposals for the Lamb’s Hill wind farm are at an early stage, but it is expected that there will be four to six turbines on land to the west of the village.

A CHP scheme would also produce up to 4MW of power for businesses on Stillington Industrial Estate, providing them with heat and electricity.

The village is in an area covered by Stockton Borough Council. However, because it is also on the border of County Durham and Darlington, other councils will be consulted.

Rob Williams, renewables projects director at Banks, said: “The two-pronged approach to energy generation on this scheme has been designed to meet the needs of local homes and industry.

“Many of the businesses on the Stillington Industrial Estate consume high amounts of energy, and our proposed CHP plant, which has had a generally positive response from the companies we’ve spoken to so far, would provide them with a secure supply at a stable cost, something which can help support their continuing presence and provision of employment in the area.

“In addition to this, the wind element of the project, which our initial analysis shows is located in an area that is very likely to be an environmentally suitable location for such a scheme, would generate enough power to meet the energy requirements of thousands of local homes.”

He said Banks had received a positive response from initial briefings with Stillington and Whitton Parish Council.

It had also discussed the plans with businesses on the industrial estate and will carry out a full public consultation exercise. Judith Turner, chairwoman of the parish council, said it was too early to comment.

Banks Developments already runs ones of the North- East’s biggest wind farms, in Tow Law, and has plans for another ten at Moor House farm, near Darlington. Its plan for Stillington is the fifth proposed site in the area between Darlington, Stockton and Sedgefield, with another two already running.

It is the 40th across the region between Newcastle and Northallerton.