BRAND new 115-metre high wind turbines will begin to be installed on the hills above Oxenhope from this autumn.

The project to repower the Ovenden Moor Wind Farm, which had its original 22-year-old, 49-metre high turbines decommissioned last year, will feature a total of nine modern turbines.

This scheme has been given a completion estimate of "autumn/winter 2016".

The wind farm is owned by Yorkshire Windpower Ltd – a joint venture between E.ON and Energy Power Resources Ltd – and has been generating power since 1993.

Nick Taylor, senior stakeholder executive at E.ON, said: “Turbine technology has come a long way in recent years and once complete, the new nine turbines will be able to produce twice as much power as the original 23 turbines.

“We are delivering the new turbines to site. These are transported in sections and one turbine is being delivered each weekend, five of which have already arrived at site ready for construction."

The blades and other sections are being transported by Halifax-based firm Collett & Sons with the support of a police escort.

The size of the equipment means these vehicles need to be carefully navigated from Halifax then through Wainstalls in order to reach Ovenden Moor.

Mr Taylor added: "The components' size means transportation is somewhat challenging, particularly through the streets of Wainstalls.

"However Collett’s highly skilled drivers and police escort will ensure safe passage and delivery to site.”

The original application for the replacement wind turbines was submitted in 2008 and approved by Calderdale Council in November 2012.

Members of the Bronte Society opposed the new structures, warning that they would damage the landscape's heritage and character.

But Calderdale councillors were swayed by what they argued was the need to support more environmentally friendly sources of energy.

Communities affected by the changes to the wind farm are now in line for money from the Ovenden Moor Wind Farm Fund.

The fund is being managed by The Community Foundation for Calderdale, on behalf of the wind farm's owners.

Grants are available for general charitable purposes to groups operating within a five-kilometre radius of the wind farm, meaning groups active in Oxenhope and Denholme are eligible.

Applications for grants up to £1,000 will be accepted until 9am on September 23rd 2016, and a larger grants programme will be launched by the end of the year. Visit cffc.co.uk/portfolio/omwf/ for more details.

Worth Valley councillor Rebecca Poulsen, whose ward includes Oxenhope, said it was important that local organisations eligible for the money take advantage of it.

"A lot of this is for Calderdale, but it does take in Denholme and Oxenhope too," she said.

"I understand that this is a pilot fund, and there will be a bigger pot of money available once they've finished building the new turbines."