Toolkit aims to help communities and planners to reap benefits from wind energy projects

Alongside the launch of the UK Renewable Energy Strategy in July, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has published an updated version of CSE’s Toolkit for Delivering Community Benefits from Wind Energy Development.

The toolkit is available online

Originally developed in 2007 for the Renewables Advisory Board by a team led by CSE, the toolkit is designed to help local planning authorities, communities and wind energy developers engage more effectively with each other and make the most of the opportunities represented by local wind energy developments. It’s recently been updated by CSE and published on the DECC website.

Through examples and explanation, the Community Benefits Toolkit provides local communities, local authorities and wind developers with a common understanding to explore opportunities for realising local benefits from wind energy developments. The Community Benefits Toolkit was developed by the CSE with Garrad Hassan & Partners Ltd, Peter Capener and Bond Pearce LLP.

CSE Chief Executive Simon Roberts said: 'Engaging with local people and providing meaningful benefits to communities hosting wind power projects is key to sustaining public support for wind power. We are pleased that this updated Toolkit will continue to help developers, planners and local communities work together to make the most of wind energy developments across the UK.'

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