Fylde windfarm proposal: Have your say on the proposed new windfarm off the Irish Sea coast as numerous public meetings to be held

There is an opportunity to meet the project team at St Annes Farmers Market on Thursday, November 2 from 9am to 1pm, and the next full consultation event being held by Morecambe and Morgan – the companies behind the plan – is at St Annes Cricket Club the following day from 3pm to 7pm.

Fylde Rugby Club at Ansdell also hosts a consultation on Friday, November 10 from 3pm to 7pm and the William Sagar Hodgson Pavilion in Kirkham on Saturday, November 11 from 10am to 1pm.

Already, much of the public interest seems to be in what the developers term ‘transmission assets’: to support the electricity generated by the windfarm and connect it to the National Grid substation at Penwortham, two new substations and an onshore cabling corridor will need to be built in the Fylde area.

Fylde MP Mark Menzies has already expressed his concerns over a substation siting on farming land in the Fylde countryside and Freckleton resident Robert Silverwood, who attended the first consultation meeting at Newton, Salwick and Clifton Village Hall last week, has since written to the developers asking them to think again about the location, fearing that two farms affected could be driven out of business.

Robert said: “In conversations with other local people, we cannot understand how this particular land is the only option for the two substations.

“Many of us feel that the land to the south of the A584 would be more suitable due to the fact that it is already light industrial and a sewage plant established, and there would be no visual impact or taking away of top-class agricultural land. Plus it is on the way to Penwortham where we know the cables join the grid.

"Eker Lane is a small track that serves the farmers, horses as a bridleway and is the only peaceful walk on the north side of the A584. Option B of the Morecambe substation would destroy the little countryside we can walk in.“Also, from a planning point of view, the highway along Lower Lane is extremely narrow and could not handle the extra HGVs etc alongside the present flow of vehicles.“I believe there is a redundant substation, not too far from where the cable will be established, near Peel Corner in Blackpool. Is there no way this could be removed and one substation sited in its place?"

A spokesperson for the Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Wind Farms: Transmission Assets project said: “Our event at Newton, Salwick and Clifton Village Hall was well attended, with local residents coming from the surrounding communities to engage with the project team and ask questions about our proposals.

"We greatly appreciate and value the interest from the community and stakeholders. We are looking forward to hearing more from the public on our proposals in the final weeks of the consultation and encourage those who have not yet provided feedback to do so.

"This can be done on our website, by email, by post or at one of our other forthcoming events, details of which are available on our website.“

Project and consultation details can be found at morecambeandmorgan.com