The offshore wind turbine project in East Lincolnshire could have impact on to 200 farmers, says Alice Mesney of Strutt & Parker’s Stamford office.

Alice Mesney says; “Underground cables will be required to carry electricity from offshore wind turbines to the National Grid.  This involves laying six cable ducts over a 60m width along grade 1, 2 and 3a land between Anderby and Bicker Fen in the east of the county.  Although ducts are likely to be buried below the depth of most agricultural operations, clay or plastic land drains could be affected and damaged by the project.”

“RWE Innogy, the company behind the project (Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Development), have already approached farmers who may be affected by the cables.  Anyone owning land under which the cables will run should know that they are likely to be in a position to make a claim for compensation for items such as a crop loss, loss in value of land and other disturbance matters.”

It is too early to say how many wind turbines will be installed if the wind farm is given planning consent. The number will depend on the size of turbine used which will be up to a maximum of 288 turbines in total.

The developer has been awarded the rights to develop an offshore wind farm with a capacity of up to 1,200 megawatts (MW).

The maximum annual electricity expected to be generated from the wind farm site is equivalent to the approximate domestic needs of up to 800,000 average UK households

Strutt & Parker have a history of mounting successful compensation claims for land owners dealing with operators who require use of land.  It is advised that professional advice should be sought before entering into negotiations.

Alice Mesney concludes, “Whilst some farmers may baulk at the idea of paying for advice on these matters, it is always worth knowing exactly how much compensation can be claimed.  Using a third party can usually make this easier and ensure that optimum amounts are paid”.

Strutt & Parker having been offering professional advice on land and rural property for over 125 years and currently manage around 1.5 million acres of land and have 150 experts across the length and breadth of the UK.