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Work will start on the first wind farm in the Southeast at Watchfield near Swindon, Oxfordshire next week by Econnect Construction Limited with the turbines due to arrive in January 2008.

Westmill is unusual in being a community owned wind farm. Set up in 2004, under the guidance of Energy4All Ltd, to build a wind farm in Watchfield, South Oxfordshire the co-op raised over £4.4m from members of the public concerned about climate change. The co-op will sell electricity from the operation of the five wind turbines at the leased site, which will flow into the local network. Westmill Wind Farm Co-op has a board of seven directors, including the landlord, Adam Twine and Chair, Mark Luntley. Its activities will be modelled on Baywind - the UK's first and largest community-owned energy project, which is run entirely by its 1,300 members. Westmill Wind farm is supported by the Midcounties Co-operative.

Westmill Chair Mark Luntley said:
"I'm delighted to be able to announce this scheme is, after so many years of preparation, finally going ahead. The wind farm will generate clean, carbon free electricity over the coming 25 years." Mark paid tribute to the hard work of the past and present board members and the invaluable support of Energy4All - a not for profit company who have project managed the scheme.

Local farmer and Director Adam Twine added:
"Its taken 15 years' work to get to this point and I'm really happy that within seven months it will finally be operational. It's a practical way in which individuals are working in a co-operative way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and would like to thank the 2,394 members of Westmill Co-op."

Angela Duignan, Development Director of Energy4All, commented:
"This is a great positive milestone for the industry after the inevitable revelation that the UK is falling far behind on renewable generation. I hope the Government acts to improve what is a long, arbitrary and expensive process to develop green energy schemes."