Rampion wind farm is a tremendous achievement for Sussex

One of the projects I have been catching up with over the recess has been the Rampion wind farm and I was delighted to go to see it at first hand together with my Lewes colleague Maria Caulfield.
Rampion wind farmRampion wind farm
Rampion wind farm

The project is nearly completed and final work is going on with the cabling both offshore and onshore.

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All 116 turbines are now operative and generating power and within the next few months Rampion should be at full capacity, capable of powering more than half the households throughout the whole of Sussex.

Rampion wind farmRampion wind farm
Rampion wind farm

It is a tremendous achievement and you really appreciate the magnitude of the wind farm not only close-up docked on one of the pillars but back in the hi-tech control room at Newhaven where they can predict any faults and schedule maintenance during fine weather to maximise the output. Unlike some, I don’t find the appearance of the turbines objectionable and much better eight miles out to see than littering the downs.

Later on I visited Lychpole Farm in the far flung reaches of Sompting as part of the NFU campaign to promote the importance of farming and getting subsidies right post-Brexit.

It is always a pleasure to visit this beautiful spot just off the South Downs Way and we also teamed up with Alan Johnson from the RSPB to go in search of yellowhammers as I have been made the MP species champion for this bright yellow farmland bird.

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Apparently, the yellowhammer is renowned for its singing all day long but, despite this and its bright coloured plumage, we searched high and low in vain.

Tim LoughtonTim Loughton
Tim Loughton

We were assured by farmer Caroline Harriott that they are usually around in abundance but just not for me! But it was good to see how much bird life is thriving on the downs, helped by the environmentally friendly practices followed by Caroline.

It is essential that as we leave the Common Agricultural Policy our own approach to agriculture is based on sustainable and sympathetic management of the land while producing many more things that we have almost forgotten how to grow, thereby cutting down on ‘food miles’.

On my website I have put details of the Best Small Shop competition being run by Parliament and would welcome your nominations for your favourite shop in East Worthing and Shoreham.

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You can also download a poster advertising my Pensioners Fair on Friday, September 7, and I would be grateful if constituents could advertise this as widely as possible to anyone who may be interested in coming along.

If you would like to get in touch with me, please write to me at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, or email me at [email protected]

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