Location MapRWE npower renewables has been given consent by the Planning Inspectorate to build a four turbine wind farm on farm land to the south east of Silloth in Cumbria.

Hellrigg Wind Farm was the subject of a three-day public inquiry which took place in February 2009 and was held before a Government Planning Inspector at Maryport in Cumbria. Proposals for the wind farm were first announced in 2003.

Clare Wilson, Regional Development Manager at RWE npower renewables said, "We are very pleased to have received consent for Hellrigg Wind Farm and, once operational, the wind farm will make a significant contribution towards renewable energy requirements in the North West."

"There is an urgent need to tackle climate change and the wind farm at Hellrigg will make an important contribution to meeting the UK's renewable energy targets of supplying 15% of electricity from renewable sources by 2015."

"We will continue to work with the local community to keep them informed throughout the next stages of development and as the wind farm is built."

Hellrigg Wind Farm will comprise four turbines, each with a height of up to 121 metres (including blades) and will have a total generating capacity of around 10 MW.

Wind farms contribute towards supplying the electricity that we all use, but in a way that avoids the emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Wind farms are not reliant on the import of fossil fuels such as gas or oil, and so contribute towards security of UK energy supply.