Wind of change will blow as work set to begin on farm

Sixpenny Wood, which is made up of 10 turbines, standing 410ft tall, will be built just off the M62, at Balkholme, near Goole.

REpower will be building the 20.5MW farm which has been developed by Your Energy, a subsidiary of AES Wind Generation, it was announced yesterday.

The wind farm will consist of 10 MM92 REpower machines which will each generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of nearly 12,000 homes a year. The towers for the turbines are made at Mabey Bridge in South Wales – the blades and other parts are manufactured in Germany and are shipped in and assembled onsite.

Work will start in the middle of 2012 and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Sixpenny Wood was given permission on appeal two years ago after being refused by East Riding Council, partly because of the impact on listed Howden Minster about two-and-a-half miles away.

In his report, planning inspector Philip Major said he had “no doubt” that the turbines would have an “adverse” impact on the landscape “irrespective of whether they are seen as a positive feature in the struggle against climate change”.

More than 90 properties will have their views significantly changed, but Mr Major said the farm’s prominence “does not necessarily equate to harm”. He said any impact on the Minster “would be minor at worst and non existent at best”. Managing director of REpower Rick Eggleston said the MM92 machines were ideal for local wind conditions.