The Rampion offshore wind farm: What can we expect?

The south coast of England is one of the most picturesque areas in the country, with millions of people from all over the world travelling here every year. If proposals from energy giant E.on are approved, the sea off the Sussex coast will see almost 20 giant wind turbines built.

There are concerns that this will impact the tourism trade, as well as impact on the natural wildlife and on south coast residents. Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) “broadly supports” the wind farm because of the potential it has to reduce carbon emissions by one million tonnes of CO2 annually.

A spokesman for BHCC added: “Along with the considerable carbon reduction benefit, local renewable also offer better security of supply and control over energy cost to the UK. “That’s good news as world energy prices continue to soar.”

It is also hoped that the Rampion development will provide the south coast economy with a huge boost over the construction period, and beyond. An Operations and Maintenance base proposed for Newhaven or Shoreham port would potentially provide 70 jobs, along with 70 sub-contractors who could also benefit.

At a recent event held by Eon, 80 companies turned up to find out more information. Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said: “The wind farm will present a great opportunity for the local economy through construction contracts, local operations and maintenance base, operational services and supplies.

“It is also a potential support for tourism as E.on’s Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm visitor centre attracted 40,000 visitors in 2010.”

There are plans to incorporate a visitor centre either in or close to Brighton, including an i-360 viewing tower, while it is hoped boat trips to the turbines will be run from Brighton Marina. One of the main concerns about the wind farm is the visual impact they will have – not only offshore, but also onshore where the cables will connect the turbines to the substation.

E.on have made reassurances that the power cables will run underground, with ground level inspection covers or grilles at about one kilometre intervals.

However, the route E.on has chosen crosses the South Downs National Park, and the power company says they have a chosen a route which avoids areas of particular interest, although they acknowledge they are concerned about the reinstatement of the grass chalkland, which could take many years.

Stewart Derwent, from CPRE Sussex, said: “We are always anxious as CPRE to balance proposals with any adverse effect on the countryside against the beneficial impact on employment and the local economy, i.e. we want to see a thriving countryside with improvements to the well-being of rural communities.

“I would not see this Rampion proposal as being very significant in this respect particularly after the construction period.”

But what can Brightonians learn for other places that have offshore wind farms, such as Thanet in Kent – how have these areas been affected, and have they benefited. When the Thanet wind farm was being built, by Swedish energy company Vattenfall, there were promises that the local economy would benefit.

Goran Loman, Vattenfall’s project manager said: “We do think it’s important to give companies in the area an edge.”

It was originally thought the project would create hundreds of jobs, with 90 people employed directly and 200 employed indirectly as a result of extra trade: however, only 21 permanent positions have been created.

Ramsgate, a town in Thanet on the East Kent coast, has seen some economic benefits, with Thanet’s offshore wind farm, as well as the London Array facility, using the town’s port as a base.

The town has benefited from the wind farm, from the construction phase through having maintenance and tourist boats. Michael Child, a blogger from Thanet, said: “What the benefits to Ramsgate are is a bit hard to quantify but there can be no doubt that the wind farm brings extra money into the local economy.”

The Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, if given planning permission, will effect on your everyday life – even if it is just through you using the power it generates.

Along the Sussex coast, there will be the obvious aesthetic impact – you will be able to see the turbines from the coast – and whether you agree with this or not comes down to personal opinion.

During construction, there will be a huge impact along the Sussex coast, as well as further inland. Areas of land will be dug up so cables can be buried, while there will be more construction traffic, but at the same time, the local economy will be boosted as jobs will created – directly by E.on, and also through local suppliers and contractors.

Once the wind farm has been constructed, there could be another string added to the tourism bow, with tours to the wind farm running from Brighton Marina, while there will be some jobs created to help maintain them.

Whether the compromises will be worth making, we can’t tell yet, but it certainly would create another attraction on England’s south coast.