BEAT

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Sustainability plan for Blackshaw Parish

from Blackshaw Environmental Action Team (BEAT)

Vision:

Create a more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable Blackshaw Parish.  This is to be done by producing more of our own food and energy, raising awareness on sustainability among all generations but particularly the young and generating an income that can be reinvested in the community to further our aims.

Aims:

Produce more food locally for the community.

BEAT will further this aim by:

a. Encouraging and organising landshare initiatives.

b. Raising awareness of the benefits of producing more food locally.

c. Assisting with funding possibilities for this aim.

Produce more energy locally.

BEAT will further this aim by:

a. Offering advice and support to local residents, businesses and community facilities (like the local school, pubs and church) on how to reduce their energy needs and how to produce some of the energy needed from renewable sources, working with Calderdale Council on these issues at a parish level.

b. Promoting and initiating community owned energy projects that have the potential to raise funds to be re-invested in further initiatives. For further details see Appendix 1 at the end of this plan.

c. Encouraging local residents to sign up to a 100% renewable electricity tariff, ideally Green Energy UK through BEAT.

Develop sustainable transport for the area.

BEAT will further this aim by:

a. Promoting the use of more sustainable transport forms.

b. Investigating the possibility of a community owned electrical car and bike share scheme powered by renewable technologies.

c. Supporting improvements in collective transport for our area.

Look after our local environment.

BEAT will further this aim by:

a. Organising six-monthly village clean-ups.

b. Offering awareness raising activities for local children and young people.

c. Encouraging tree planting on spare land.

Conclusion:

This plan is a tall order for a small community, with no regular funding or employed workers. Instead we have some committed residents who are willing to improve their community – for the benefit of future generations. The plan will take time to fully implement and it does not rule out us taking up other initiatives along the way. Several of the things mentioned in the plan are activities we have done for years. Some of the new initiatives in the pipeline are outlined in Appendix 1. We seek everyone's support for these new initiatives through this Energyshare application.

Appendix 1:

A. Hydro project: An opportunity has arisen for BEAT to participate in a hydropower project with Hebden Bridge Transition Town (HBTT) with the support of local landowners. A detailed survey has been conducted by Peter Hill from Powerfromthelandscape.org.uk at the Alternative Technology Centre. The survey is available on our website www.blackshaw.net/BEAT. The project is likely to cost around £100,000, generating an income of around £10,000 per year for at least 20 years.

B. Methodist Chapel at Blackshaw Head: BEAT and the Chapel have just started working on a plan to cover the Chapel's energy needs through renewable technologies.

C. Community owned wind turbine: In order to generate a substantial income for the community we are suggesting installing a 5-12kw wind turbine on a 12-15 meter mast, which will generate a regular income every year for around 20 years. This will enable us to invest in achieving the aims in the above plan.

The turbine will be erected on either land of Warcock Cottage or Warcock Farm – the exact location to be determined by Calderdale Council's Planning Department. Both landowners have agreed in principle to let us have a 20-year lease if they in return can use (some of) the electricity generated by the turbine for free – but not receiving the income generated from the Feed-in-Tariff and from selling surplus electricity to the grid.

Legal vehicles: If any of the community owned energy projects go ahead we would set up an Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) to run the project(s). This would enable us to issue shares, if needed, to raise funds for the project. We would also establish a charitable arm so all profits from the IPS can be transferred to the charity.

Capital costs: We will be applying for grants for these energy projects, do fundraising ourselves, ask for donations and issue shares if necessary.

How the profits will be used: when the maintenance and running costs and dividends to shareholders or payback of loans (if these have been used) have been paid the rest of the profits will go to further energy and Blackshaw community projects.

For more information on BEAT please go to www.blackshaw.net/BEAT. You will find our newsletter, etc in BEAT Archives.

To contact BEAT regarding this Energyshare application please contact finn.jensen@rocketmail.com