Windfarm Community Benefit Funds arise as a result of a voluntary contribution paid by a developer to benefit communities living in and around new windfarms.

As a result of the development of Blacklaw Windfarm on the boundary of North and South Lanarkshire and West Lothian, Scottishpower Renewables (UK) Limited currently make a relatively small Community Benefit Contribution to North Lanarkshire Council (reflecting the small number of turbines presently located within this local authority area) but this is anticipated to grow quite significantly in future years (up to £60,000 per year) due to the proposed extension of the windfarm from 2012.

It is intended that North Lanarkshire Council will distribute this funding to communities living closest to the windfarm development through a community and environmental grants scheme (the Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund) to be managed by the Environmental Key Fund (an independent grants management organisation).

In particular, applicants will be able to apply for funding support of up to £30,000 for projects taking place within the Shotts, Allanton, Bonkle and Hartwood areas of North Lanarkshire and their immediate surrounds – the precise eligible grant area for projects seeking support from the Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund is highlighted in the map below.

Click to enlarge

Objective 1:

providing, maintaining or improving a public park or other community facility for leisure or recreational purposes.

Objective 2:

protecting or improving the conservation of identified Biodiversity Action Plan species or habitats.

Objective 3:

maintaining, repairing or restoring a place of religious worship or a building or structure that has architectural or historical significance (with Grade A or B listed status).

Objective 4:

encouraging the more efficient use of energy.

Objective 5:

reducing fuel poverty.

Applicants can apply to the Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund for a 100% of project costs and do not need project match funding.

However, if there is an identified funding gap for a project and/or a project requires additional funding over and above what can be secured through the Community Benefit Fund, applicants are encouraged to seek additional grant support for their project through the Environmental Key Fund’s Main Grants Programme which provides funding for projects taking place across all of North Lanarkshire (although, due to grant restrictions, the Main Grants Programme cannot be used to match fund projects which are focused only on implementing either objectives 4 or 5 of the Community Benefit Fund).

Thus, in essence, eligible applicants are able to apply to the Windfarm Community Benefit Fund for grant support of up to £30,000 and the Environmental Key Fund’s Main Grants Programme for grant support of up to £30,000 for projects which meet Objective 1, 2 or 3 of the Windfarm Community Benefit Fund.

Moreover, as outlined in the Application Guidance, the application process to the Community Benefit Fund has specifically been designed to simplify any ‘joint’ application being made to both this fund and the Environmental Key Fund’s Main Grants Programme.

It is intended that there will be a ‘one-off’ application deadline for organisations to apply to the Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund for funding which has been accrued from the current Blacklaw Windfarm development and the deadline for this application round is 12 noon on the 3rd June 2011 to coincide with the application deadline of the Environmental Key Fund’s Main Grants Programme.

This fund will then be closed until 2013 when new funding will be made available through the proposed extension of the windfarm (subject to this proposed extension being implemented from 2012).

Applicants wishing to apply to this fund either in June 2011 or from 2013 should use the Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund Application Form and Guidance provided on the Environmental Key Fund’s website (www.environmentalkeyfund.com) and all applications should be returned to:

The Environmental Key Fund
3rd Floor Civic square
Windmillhill Street
Motherwell
Ml1 1AB