England’s tallest wind turbine a step closer to going up near Bristol

England’s tallest wind turbine, which will be run by a Bristol community, is a huge step closer after the city council agreed to lease its land for cheap.

Ambition Community Energy (ACE), a community interest company set up by charity Ambition Lawrence Weston, received planning permission last year for the 150m structure on local authority land in Severn Road in Avonmouth.

It will save almost 50,000 tonnes of carbon over its lifetime, generate renewable power for nearby homes and potentially council buildings and schools, and all profits from sales of its electricity – expected to top £4.2million – will be reinvested in the area.

Labour cabinet members have now agreed to let the land to ACE for 30 years below the market value, a decision welcomed by the main opposition Green councillors.

A report to the Bristol City Council meeting on Tuesday, November 2, said the community group would pay £25,000 annual rent to the authority in compensation for loss of income from the reduced flow of wind to its existing nearby turbines, on top of the cut-price lease, whose “significant” value has not been disclosed for commercial reasons.

Deputy mayor Cllr Craig Cheney said: “The council has been working with ACE since 2016 to develop a community wind turbine to generate renewable energy for the local community and sell electricity that it generates.

“Projects like this are an innovative way for us to demonstrate our commitment to a just transition.

“It allows us to drive forward the decarbonisation of our city’s energy systems while supporting the development of our local communities.

“All surplus profits from the project will be used to implement the Lawrence Weston Development Plan.

“This paper therefore seeks cabinet approval to grant the lease for the site at an under-value so that construction can commence.”

About £1.1million in grants and loans have been secured towards the £4million capital cost, including £500,000 from the West of England Combined Authority and £450,000 borrowed from City Funds, with the remaining money obtained from an ethical bank.

Cabinet member with responsibility for climate, ecology, waste and energy Cllr Nicola Beech said: “Promoting and supporting the continued transformation and progression of community energy in the city is absolutely at the backbone of our energy strategy, so this is something as an administration we have been committed to.”

The council’s development control committee granted planning consent unanimously in July 2020 against officers’ recommendation.