Work on the controversial Frodsham Wind Farm is expected to begin in April.
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change granted consent for the 19-turbine wind farm on land adjacent to Frodsham Canal Deposit Grounds in October 2012, in spite of fierce opposition from local residents.
With developer Peel Energy anticipating work will start in just two months’ time, 2015 has already seen a flurry of activity over the scheme.
An interim local liaison committee comprising Peel, its main contractor and community representatives, was established at a meeting on January 28.
Applications to relocate an 80m meteorological mast, which has already been granted permission, and to discharge three pre-build planning conditions were submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council last month.
Peel Energy development manager Stephen Snowdon told the Chronicle: “Peel Energy is in the process of dealing with several planning conditions that require the submission of information to the council before a start can be made on site.
“We are anticipating starting works on site from April onwards this year and so naturally there has been an increase in our planning activity.”
Mr Snowdon explained that the local liaison committee is being established prior to the commencement of work to ‘ensure there is an effective mechanism in place to tackle any issues which might arise during the construction of the wind farm and its subsequent operation’ and that it will have its own website which will be regularly updated.
Cllr Andrew Dawson, who is a member of the newly-formed committee, said that one of its main purposes is to disseminate information about the implications of the construction of the wind farm, such as road closures, ‘so that people get plenty of advance notice’.
He added: “Of course it is important with a project of this size and impact that Peel communicates effectively with all of us.
“They are also required to do so by the terms of their planning permission which, let’s not forget, was issued by Lib Dem Secretary of State Ed Davey in the teeth of sustained local opposition.”
Among the issues discussed at the initial meeting were the need for the committee to have an independent publicity budget and the say that each interested parish or town should be allocated.
Cllr Dawson argued that ‘one council one vote would not be fair or reasonable’ because Frodsham has the highest population and more than half of the wind turbines will be located in front of Helsby.
It was agreed that a consultation should be held regarding how the community benefit fund should be administered.
The local liaison committee is due to meet again in March, but its constitution and key decisions will be deferred until after the May elections.
Mr Snowdon added that Peel will be working with Cheshire West and Chester Council to secure the involvement of local businesses in the project via its local employment and procurement scheme.
