'Gargantuan' turbines could be built on farmland

An onshore wind farm, which would see up to 32 turbines built on agricultural land, has been criticised by politicians.

The proposals for Redmere Wind Farm come from Swedish company Vattenfall and would see the turbines, which are 721ft (220m) tall, built on land covering the Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk borders.

Tristan Gale, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for planning called the proposals "unprecedented in scale" adding the turbines "would be gargantuan and seen from miles around."

Vattenfall, owned by the Swedish state, said: "Redmere wind farm could make a major contribution to cleaner, more secure energy systems while bringing jobs and investment to the local area."

The company added the development could power nearly 220,000 homes a year, with final plans due to be submitted in autumn 2027.

The proposals, which are at a very early stage, would see the turbines and energy infrastructure built across two sites around the Shippea Hill railway station, which train operator Greater Anglia said has a "very limited train service."

Due to the size and scale of the project, it is considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), meaning the eventual planning decision will be made by the government, rather than a local council.

The company is separately proposing the Chatteris Wind Farm near Somersham, Cambridgeshire.

Last month plans for another onshore wind farm on the Norfolk and Cambridgeshire border were revealed.

But Gale, from the Reform-run council said: "Enough is enough. Suffolk cannot continue to absorb project after project without a full assessment of the cumulative impact on local people, the countryside and our economy."

He said the plans "would add further pressure to communities already facing an extraordinary concentration of major energy infrastructure."

The Sunnica solar farm, also in West Suffolk, was approved in 2024 despite local objections. Construction on the £600m project is yet to begin.

Joe Mason, deputy leader of the Conservative group on Suffolk County Council, said the project was "another hammer blow for West Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire communities."

Liberal Democrat MP, Charlotte Cane, who represents Ely and East Cambridgeshire said: "Renewable projects like this have an important part to play in our energy future, but we want to see more clarity from the developers before we can know how these plans will work in our area."

She called for local people to get involved with upcoming drop-in events to be held in Thetford and Ely in October, with more to follow in 2027.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: "As a host authority for the proposed scheme, the council will input into the NSIP process, and engage with Vattenfall to review their proposals as more details are made available."

Vattenfall said it is "working on design proposals and environmental work " and encouraged local people to help "shape the project from the outset."

Kevin Keable of the East of England Energy Group, which represents the energy industry across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, said onshore wind is much cheaper and easier to build than offshore.

He said the Redmere Wind Farm would be able to power "an awful lot of homes."

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