Wind farm firm accused of ignoring public opposition

Revised plans for the wind farm near the Yorkshire coast are due to be unveiled at a public exhibition early in the new year after a public consultation spanning nearly a year has been conducted.

But opponents have claimed that the company behind the plans, Banks Renewables, has failed to take on board the staunch resistance to the South Dale wind farm earmarked for farming land close to Hunmanby, near Filey.

Hunmanby Parish Council’s chairwoman, Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, said: “We have had community engagement, but it has always been on Banks’s terms.

“The local community simply do not want the wind farm, but the company is still pushing ahead with the plans nonetheless.”

However, senior officials at Banks Renewables have hit back at the criticism and maintained that public consultations have been carried out during the last 11 months.

A community panel has met four times while discussions have taken place with individuals and organisations across the area, and environmental assessment work has been undertaken on the proposed site.

The development director at Banks Renewables, Phil Dyke, claimed the company had “gone to great lengths” to engage with the public, and maintained there is “significant amounts of support” from local communities.

He added: “We are now finalising our lay-out design in the light of all the feedback we have received from people across this area, and will continue to work closely with local communities and other key project stakeholders around the progress of this work.

“The South Dale wind farm would bring with it a wide range of benefits for the local community, and we remain confident that we will develop a scheme design that is environmentally acceptable for this location.”

Banks Renewables has stressed developments like the wind farm, which could see as many as 14 475ft-high turbines built, will play a “crucial role” in meeting future energy requirements. A full planning application for the wind farm is due to be submitted to Scarborough Borough Council next year.

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