A windfarm community grant fund of almost £4 million over 25 years is now available for communities surrounding the Brenig Wind Ltd site to start benefiting from. The windfarm owned by Brenig Wind Limited become operational in March 2019 and has 16 turbines each of 2.35MW, giving a total installed capacity of 37.6MW – enough to power over 6000 homes every year.
Cadwyn Clwyd has been commissioned by Brenig Wind Limited to set up and administer the Community Benefit Fund for the windfarm. The purpose of the community benefit fund is to provide benefits to the communities hosting and living with and around the windfarm.
“The fund will provide around £150,000 every year index linked over 25 years for communities in Denbighshire and Conwy within 15km of the Brenig site. We consulted with the local community at the end of last year to hear their ideas on how the fund should be spent and which areas should benefit from the fund and developed the grant criteria based on the communities’ views.”
“The fund which has been launched this week is flexible and can support projects such as community transport, access to services, support for community social activities, digital inclusion such as broadband coverage, developing and supporting social enterprises for example a community shop or community pub, community led tourism projects, sports clubs and recreational activities and so on. There will be a small grant of up to £10,000 and a larger grant of £10,000 to £50,000” she added.
The Brenig Wind Farm is part of a larger area of the Clocaenog Forest where wind turbines are being installed, all of which will bring community benefit funds. The chair of the Hiraethog Project Steering Group is Denbighshire County Councillor Eryl Williams, from Clawddnewydd, who said: “It’s a huge opportunity for the communities in the area, and decisions on the grants will be made by a grant panel of representatives from the local community. Potential applicants and community groups need to be prepared to think out of the box and think big and look at opportunities to work together on common projects with other groups and organisations inside the area.”
Cadwyn Clwyd have also set up two drop-in sessions for the community to come and discuss their ideas and possible grant applications.
These are at Llyn Brenig Visitor Centre, Llyn Brenig, Cerrigydrudion, LL21 9TT on:
Wednesday 25th September from 3pm to 5.45pm and Wednesday 16th October from 3pm to 5.45pm.
Completed grant applications should be sent to brenig@cadwynclwyd.co.uk by the closing date of Monday 11th November 2019.
Additional support for communities to develop and implement projects is available from Local Authority Officers. Please contact:
Fran Rhodes – Denbighshire CC – Community Development Officer on 01824 712968 or fran.rhodes@denbighshire.gov.uk
or
Ela Williams – Conwy CBC – Community, Culture & Heritage Officer on 01492 576674 or ela.williams@conwy.gov.uk