We are committed to providing a voluntary community benefits package which will provide grants to the local community in the vicinity of the proposed Isles Wind Farm. This is dependent on the wind farm being built and will be available upon operation.This money will be available throughout the lifetime of the wind farm and local people will decide how it is spent.

Community Benefits Fund

Based on an installed capacity of 63.5MW, the annual amount of a community benefits fund from The Isles Wind Farm would be £190,500, which is index-linked. This is calculated by multiplying 63.5MW by £3,000 (the fixed sum per installed MW).

We've established community benefit funds at our Great Eppleton scheme in Houghton-le-Spring, Butterwick Moor near Sedgefield and Haswell Moor near Haswell Plough which provide a total of £80,000 per year to local communities. These funds are administered and managed by the County Durham Community Foundation with decisions on spending made by the local community.

Services and jobs in the area

In addition, the Isles Wind Farm has the potential to bring increased demand for local goods and services during the development and construction phases of the project.

If planning permission is granted and the project is given the green light to be built we always look to use local expertise and resources to carry out work associated with constructing the wind farm.

Examples include:

• concrete for foundations 
• stone for foundations and access tracks
• electrical skills 
• haulage of turbine components
• handling cranes
• lorries
• safety consultants
• project management consultants
• fencing 
• landscaping
• security
• accommodation