Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm Community Fund - latest

The 18 MW Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm is fully operational, comprising of nine Senvion MM82 2.05MW turbines.  The wind farm generates between 13.5 and 22.5 million units of ‘green’ electricity each year, enough to meet the annual needs of around 8,700 households; more than a fifth of the homes in North Devon.

The Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm Community Fund has been created and is administered by the Devon Community Foundation you can visit their website or call them on 01884 235887.  An independent grant panel of local residents from across the 10 parish areas has been set up to provide guidance and governance of the fund. 

The purpose of the fund is to support community groups and organisations in the area around the Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm to support the rural regeneration and sustainability of communities within the area of benefit.  The community fund is £90,000 per annum available for each year of its operational lifetime (up to 25 years).

The fund supports projects that;
 
·         Improve digital and mobile connectivity in the local area.
·         Provide, maintain or improve community buildings.
·         Provide community and public transport improvements.
·         Increase access to activities or services for the community within the area of benefit.
·         Encourage skills, employment and improve rural business opportunities and social enterprise.
·         Community owed energy projects.
·         Offer sport, recreation and improved health and wellbeing.
 
You can view the full guidance here.

 
To apply for funding your group must have a constitution (a governing document or set of rules) and be set up on a not for profit basis.  To assist with smaller groups in the Knowstone Parish area that aren’t big enough to become constituted, the Parish Council is happy to apply and administer funds on behalf of groups.  Please contact any of the Cllrs for more details or come along to the next council meeting. 

A public consultation was carried out, during January & February 2016, across Knowstone, Rackenford and Creacombe, Rose Ash and other local parishes to ascertain how the public would like to see the fund managed and administered. The results of that consultation can be seen in this link. 
This income provides a significant opportunity for the local area and we would encourage you to make good use of this fund and apply as soon as possible.  

The fund is open for small grant applications (up to £2000). Larger grant applications will be accepted at some point in 2024.