Executive Summary
- On being presented with an explanation why Wells is the operational base for the wind farm, 85% of respondents were satisfied with this explanation, up from 70% in 2010. Just 9% expressed dissatisfaction with this rationale.
- Reactions to the Sheringham Shoal Wind Farm are very positive, with 63% considering it a good idea with benefits for the community (but down from 70% in 2010), 29% thinking it a good thing but with concerns about possible negative effects for the local area (up from 22% in 2010), and just 7% considering it a bad idea with negative effects for the local area (the same as in 2010).
- Spontaneously, 49% of all respondents suggested that the wind farm would produce more employment opportunities and boost the local economy, 30% that it will boost the local economy and 28% that it will result in using local businesses to supply goods and services (up from 10% in 2010). On prompting, 90% consider the wind farm will produce more employment opportunities, 83% that it will regenerate the port and 80% that it will boost the local economy.
- Encouragingly, this appears to be born out in reality, with 82% in 2012 saying that more employment for local people has been an outcome of the development, with a further 75% confirming that 'jobs have been created in the local area, either with Scira, or businesses that supply them'.
- Concerns that the development would result in increased traffic had dropped from 50% in 2010 to 44% in 2012. The same was true for concerns about increase in house prices which dropped from 42% in 2010 to 39% in 2012. There were slightly more concerns about spoiling the natural environment, up from 30% in 2010 to 35% in 2012.
