A PARISH could soon be funding its own wind turbine thanks to a community share initiative.

The residents of South Brent are being encouraged to invest in a new turbine near Marley Head in a share offer devised by South Brent Community Energy Society.

The offer will see residents and local organisations contribute between £200 and £20,000 to make up the £420,000 price of providing enough power for 100 homes – along with a host of other benefits.

Planning consent has already been obtained from South Hams Council for the ancillary equipment for the 31m-high turbine and SBCES director Francis Macnaugh-ton said there is much to be gained from the offer.

'The turbine will generate low carbon electricity to be sold into the local grid. Income will be reinvested in energy efficiency and further renewable generation in South Brent.

'The model of wind turbine selected is the Danish designed Vestas V27, a classic three-bladed design with an overall diameter of 27m mounted on a tapered steel monopole 31m high.

'It will be sited at the eastern end of the parish of South Brent in Devon, near Marley Head, and equidistant from Marley Thatch, Lisburne and Edeswell Farms.

'It is expected to generate around 400,000kwh per year, which is about 100 homes' worth of electricity, and save about 200 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels in power stations per year.

'Subscribers may receive annual interest of between four and five per cent averaged over the 20 year life of the wind turbine and it really does have a huge number of benefits.

'It's green, it's sustainable and will directly benefit South Brent.

'We really want local people to be involved as they are the ones who should reap the rewards – we don't want a big company swooping in and taking it over as it defeats the object entirely. '

For more on this story, see this week's Ivybridge & South Brent Gazette