Overview
Entrust Services was commissioned by Lancaster City Council to undertake Stage 1 feasibility works assessing the potential for an onshore wind turbine at two council-owned sites. The study combined technical energy modelling, grid connection appraisal, environmental assessment and whole-life costing to produce an evidence-based business case that would support funding applications and a future planning submission.
Objective
The study’s primary aim was practical and decisive: determine which of the two candidate sites could viably host a wind turbine, identify an optimised micro-sited location, and deliver a Green Book–standard business case demonstrating the financial and carbon benefits of the installation. The outputs were intended to give the Council the confidence to progress from feasibility to detailed design and planning.
Challenges
The feasibility work needed to account for a complex mix of technical, environmental and community considerations. Lancaster’s historic core and broad viewpoints required sensitive landscape evaluation; both sites were close to the River Lune and adjacent protected ecological designations, creating potential constraints for habitat protection. Proximity to residential properties and public facilities raised amenity and noise considerations, while the presence of a nearby Primary Radar introduced aviation-safety and radar mitigation questions. Finally, the Council required a robust financial case showing that expected generation, private-wire or grid export options and avoided energy costs would justify whole-life capital and operational expenditure.
Solutions
Entrust Services adopted a staged, multidisciplinary approach to these interlocking challenges. An initial rapid screening ruled one site out on viability grounds, allowing resources to be concentrated on a single promising location. For the preferred site we delivered a full technical and planning-ready package that married engineering detail with environmental safeguards and commercial clarity. Key elements included micro-siting to maximise yield and minimise landscape impacts, a detailed electrical options appraisal (including grid connection and private-wire scenarios), and an environmental programme that incorporated ecological surveys, landscape assessment and photomontages to clearly illustrate potential visual impacts.
Required Deliverables:
● Green Book–standard business case (costs, benefits, payback scenarios)
● Photomontages, Zone of Theoretical Visibility mapping and CAD drawings suitable for planning submission
● Specialist technical reports: aviation risk, noise, shadow flicker and ecological surveys
Implementation & Results
● Rapid screening and site selection: one of the two candidate sites was discounted early in the process, enabling concentrated analysis on the most promising location.
● Technical validation: yield estimates, expected lifespan and replacement costs were modelled to establish realistic generation projections and maintenance profiles.
● Financial case: capital costs, operation & maintenance projections and payback scenarios were detailed in a Green Book–compliant business case to support funding and procurement decisions.
● Environmental and planning outputs: a full suite of environmental studies (ecology, landscape & visual, noise, shadow flicker), CAD plans, photomontages and Zone of Theoretical Visibility maps were produced to support a future planning application.
● Risk and mitigation: an explicit risk register and mitigation measures for ecological, heritage and aviation constraints were compiled to guide next steps.
The Stage 1 package provided sufficient evidence for Lancaster City Council to progress the preferred site toward a planning application; Entrust Services continues to support the project into Stage 2.
Project Impact & Strategic Benefits
● Decarbonisation: provides a credible on-site route for Lancaster City Council to reduce corporate emissions and meet Net Zero commitments.
● Financial resilience: reduces exposure to volatile energy markets through predictable on-site generation and potential private-wire savings.
● Replicable municipal model: demonstrates a repeatable, evidence-led approach for other local authorities considering on-site renewables.
● Readiness for delivery: Stage 1 outcomes produced planning-ready materials and a funding-grade business case, accelerating the pathway to construction and long-term operational benefits.
Next Steps
The next phase will focus on detailed turbine design, submission of a planning application, continued mitigation planning for ecological and heritage sensitivities, and progressing procurement and funding approvals informed by the Green Book business case.
