Off-grid Essex community next to huge wind farm seeking change to the law after being denied its own wind turbine

An off-grid Christian community in Essex's Dengie peninsula, within view of the large Hockley wind farm, have been refused permission to have a wind turbine of their own. Following the local council's refusal of planning permission, the group is now pushing for a change in the law.

The Othona Community in Bradwell-on-Sea has no mains power because it is more than a kilometre away from the electricity grid, and a connection would cost more than £100,000. Instead, it has been considering other energy options, but a bid to erect a wind turbine on the community's land was turned down by Maldon District Council two years ago.

The turbine was refused on the grounds of its possible visual impact, a nearby footpath, and insufficient information on how it might affect a nature reserve, which is a designated site of special scientific interest. The community says it has spent £450,000 on decarbonising and upgrading its energy systems and has fitted solar panels and battery storage. But without the much-needed turbine, it still relies on an oil generator, which costs £5,000 a year to run.

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Richard and Debbie Sanders, joint wardens of the Othona Community, say its existing 5kw turbine is insufficient, and an upgrade to a 25kw turbine would make a big difference. Ironically, the community is within a mile of the Hockley wind farm, whose 10 turbines each produce 2000kw of power.

“We’ve always been a place where the environment is really important,” Richard said. "We would very much like to continue to be at the forefront of carbon reduction rather than trailing behind. The Church of England has plans to be carbon-neutral by 2030, but we can’t be carbon-neutral until we get this turbine.”

The community would like to have an electric vehicle, but at present, that would mean running the oil generator even more often than it does at present. Now, the community, which owns the farmland, is supporting calls from the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) for a change that might enable it to put up the single turbine without re-applying for planning permission.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in May this year that his government would consult on the move, but two weeks later, the general election was called. The NFU and other stakeholders are still urging ministers to make the change and help farmers run their operations more sustainably. The organisation’s Chief Adviser for Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Dr Jonathan Scurlock, says it has been pressing officials to consult on revised ‘permitted development’ rights for single turbines on farms. Such a move could help projects like the one at the Othona Community, which combines wind and solar power,

He said: “For many farmers, SMEs and community groups, the idea of having wind alongside solar works well; they complement one another with wind-producing power at night and solar during the day. Small wind turbines up to 30 metres high with a capacity of 40 to 50kW are very popular with a lot of farmers, and we think this fits well with the government’s priorities for growth and decarbonisation. We want to support the rural economy, and we want to decarbonise. We need this streamlined planning measure to encourage farmers to invest in being more energy self-sufficient.”

The NFU hopes the government’s Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce, which is due to produce headline findings after Christmas, could now recommend the change in the law.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “A range of national permitted development rights allow for renewable energy to be generated from sources such as small wind turbines on domestic properties. These rights are kept under review to ensure local areas are protected.”

The community has welcomed visitors for Summer camps and other activities on the remote Dengie Peninsula since the 1940s.