Wind farm will not create local jobs says campaigner

Earnest Coleman, chairman of Villages of the Cliff Against Turbines (VOCAT), said any jobs created by the scheme - if it were to go ahead - would all be taken by German workers.

“It is a known fact the jobs created would not go to local people,” said Mr Coleman.

“They are a German company. They will import the turbines from Germany, along with the jobs.”

He said once the farm was up and running maintenance would also be done by workers brought in ‘from elsewhere’.

“The company is saying the project will create local jobs - but the whole thing is one big fraud,” he added.

RWE npower Renewables wants to build the farm on land 13km east of Gainsborough.

If built it would stand up to 126.5m tall and generate up to 25 megawatts of electricity - enough to meet the average annual consumption of 11,600 homes.

Neil Parnell, developer for RWE npower renewables, said as there is no UK-based turbine manufacturer it is not possible to source components locally.

However he said the company does use local and UK businesses wherever possible.

RWE npower renewables also runs community investment programmes to support the development of the communities it operates in.

“The creation of UK based local jobs as a result of the development, construction, operation and maintenance of UK wind farms is well documented,” he said.

“As a responsible developer, we always aim to work with and support the communities in which our wind farms operate.”

“One of the ways we achieve this is by working with local businesses where possible throughout the development, construction and longer-term operation of our wind farms.”