Norfolk wind farms offer 'significant benefit' for local economy

Two offshore wind farms capable of powering nearly four million homes are to be built off the Norfolk coast after the government re-approved plans. A college and energy group tells us they will provide a boost for the workforce and young people locally, but not everyone is happy.

The Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas projects could power 3.9 million homes, energy firm Vattenfall says, but plans for the former were temporarily called off after a High Court judge ruled against them.

The government re-approved plans last week, but Raymond Pearce, who lives near Reepham in Norfolk, is one of those unhappy at the decision.

He had started a legal challenge citing concerns about the effect the development would have on the landscape and the view.

He argued that ministers had not taken into account the "cumulative impacts" of the project and had given "inadequate" reasons for not doing so.

Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, re-approved the wind farm saying the "substantial and pressing need for renewable electricity sources" prevailed over harm to the landscape and visual issues.

Vattenfall has promised a £15m community benefit fund and promised that Norfolk would benefit from jobs, not just on the wind farms but also through the wider supply chain.

East Coast College says it is excited about the opportunities its students could have as a result of the two projects.

Rachel Bunn, assistant principal at East Coast College, says: "It's really exciting times we can see and young people can see there's a lot of activity and future opportunity."

She says she is "totally confident" jobs will stay in the area and the wind farms will provide local people with greater opportunities here, and further afield.

"Some people would think it's a short-term project, post construction there's few jobs - [that is] really incorrect.

"It's about transferability of skills, it's about different projects in the UK and even internationally that some young people in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth could only dream of 10 years ago

"That's become real."

Martin Dronfield, executive chairman of the East of England Energy Group, which represents more than 200 members ranging from energy suppliers to supply chain companies, believes the two new wind farms will bring thousands of jobs to the region and provide opportunities for young people.

He says it will be a "significant advantage for the region".

"We will see supply chain organisations benefit from this and we will see supply chain organisations attracted to the region and bring their families and investment into our region, so all-in-all a fantastic opportunity," he says.

Mr Dronfield says he expects about 1,000 people from local companies to be involved in the construction of each wind farm and between 200-300 people to be involved in operating and maintaining them over the next 25-35 years.

Opportunities for young people to get apprenticeships are also expected to go up at what Mr Dronfield says is an exciting time for the industry.

"The overall investment is £6.2bn, obviously not all of that will get spent in the east but a great deal will. We expect hundreds of millions of pounds to be spent with local supply chains and to be invested in the local economy.

"So it's a significant amount of money and a significant benefit."

Denise Hone, from Vattenfall, says the project will benefit the whole community by creating jobs, and offering opportunities to local companies and young people.

"[It] really will unlock opportunities for the whole region, across the supply chains, skills and the whole community across Norfolk," she says.

Ms Hone says the company has received more than 1,200 ideas of how the £15m community benefit fund could be spent.

"We now need to work with the local community team to see how we can really invest in the region and get benefits."

She says she is confident there will be a "massive" benefit to the region from existing and new jobs, as well as skills reach programmes with local education sites.

"We're looking to bring new routes for young people into the sector," she says.

Following the re-approval of the decision by the government, Mr Pearce says he is considering a new appeal over what he calls "a very poor decision".

He is also sceptical of claims the two new wind farms will bring the economic gains promised by Vattenfall.

"It's renewable energy at any cost and the cost here is to the environment in Norfolk," he says.

"I don't blame them for being positive about it, it's their industry but they're not looking at it holistically."

He says he is not against renewable energy but thinks a better plan is needed to connect the offshore windfarms and minimise the number of cables and substations onshore.

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