About our work
British Waterways is working with Partnerships for Renewables to investigate the potential for the delivery of renewable energy developments on its land at three sites between Doncaster and Goole.
The work is at an early stage and there is much more detailed technical work to be done, but following the screening of British Waterways' land assets and preliminary surveys of the most promising sites, a shortlist of sites suitable for further detailed investigation has been drawn up.
Initial studies suggest that each site could potentially accommodate wind turbines with a maximum tip height of 130m (the height to the tip of the blades).
Short-listed sites
Our investigations will involve further exploration of the following sites:
- ‘Went End Junction’, south of Southfields Reservoir, which could accommodate up to 2 turbines
- ‘Goole Canal’, between the Knottingley & Goole Canal and Dutch River, west of the Waterways Museum, which has the potential to accommodate as many as 8 turbines
- ‘Barnby Dun’ between the Dun Navigation and the River Don, which could accommodate a single turbine. (For more information on this site Click Here)
Over the coming months we will discuss various options with the local community in order to ensure that any proposals coming forward are appropriate for the local area. This could lead to changes in the numbers of turbines at each site.
While it is possible that positive results could see a planning application submitted in 2010 it is likely that more than 12 months of detailed assessment work will be required to establish whether these sites are actually suitable.
If any of the sites are found to be suitable locations we will submit a full Environmental Impact Assessment with the planning application and will keep the local community informed throughout the development process.
Wind monitoring mast
On the 12th of December 2009 we submitted a planning application for permission to erect a temporary 70m wind monitoring mast on land at the Goole Canal site, close to Dutch River Bridge, between the Canal and Dutch river to the west of the Waterways Museum.
As part of our ongoing assessment of the British Waterways sites in the Goole and Doncaster region we submitted this planning application to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. As well as providing information on the conditions at the Goole Canal site, a met mast would help us to better understand the wind resource of the region.
Since submitting this application for a temporary monitoring mast, we have been investigating several issues which may affect the suitability of the three sites in the region as potential locations for wind turbines. Among the first issues we investigate when considering a location as a potential wind energy site is the impact on aviation.
These investigations are ongoing and could take some time to complete - possibly as long as 12 months in the case of the ‘Goole Canal’ and ‘Went End Junction’ sites. In addition, we were contacted recently by the East Riding Council to inform us that detailed surveys of the trees and the ecology of the site proposed for the monitoring mast would be required before they could progress our planning application.
Given the time which could be involved in ascertaining whether or not turbines would be compatible with local aviation interests, and the additional work involved, we have decided to withdraw our application for a temporary wind monitoring mast for the time being.
Should we confirm that a wind energy project at either ‘Goole Canal’ or ‘Went End Junction’ is compatible with local aviation interests, and if tree and ecology surveys are undertaken with positive results, we may look to resubmit an application to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council at a later date.
Ongoing work
Given the revised schedule of our work in the area there are likely to be long periods of time during which there is little or no new information on our work at either the 'Goole Canal' or the Went End Junction' sites.
Our work at the ‘Barnby Dun’ site will continue and we will keep the community informed of the outcomes from our investigations as we progress. For further information please Click Here.