£14m investment launches Leeds’ first wind farm

BANKS Renewables, part of The Banks Group, is investing £14m in the five-turbine Hook Moor Wind Farm which will create 30 jobs.

Main contractor Hall Construction will start on site in April, on agricultural land near the junction of the M1 and A1 and the turbines, which are being supplied by Senvion, are set to arrive by autumn. It is expected that Hook Moor will be fully operational before the end of the year.

Contractors Colas, who have been engaged by Leeds City Council, are now carrying out site access improvements in advance of Hall Construction starting work.

Up to 30 people will work on site during the construction of the Hook Moor wind farm, with local firms able to tender for a range of contracts relating to various aspects of its development, such as accommodation, catering and security.
Around £7.8m in business rates will also be generated from the wind farm over its 25-year lifespan.

Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at the Banks Group, said: “The Hook Moor wind farm will bring direct employment, economic and supply chain benefits to the area, and will also have a substantial long-term impact on the facilities available for local people through the community fund that will be linked to the clean, green energy it produces.

“Modern, efficient, indigenous onshore wind farms provide the cheapest available form of renewable energy generation.

“Schemes like Hook Moor have a vital role in generating more of the energy that we all use via renewable means, and it will also help Leeds City Council to meet its immediate and future renewables obligations.

“We will continue to work closely with the local community to ensure everyone is kept fully up to date with the progress that is being made on site, and look forward to starting to generate safe, clean and sustainable energy by the end of the year.”