07.05.04
First switch on for family farm

A family farm near Wadebridge will become the first of around 75 properties to be connected to mains electricity this week following a successful project to bring mains supply to some businesses in Cornwall for the first time.

MP for North Cornwall Paul Tyler will perform the official 'switch on' on Friday May 7 at 12.30pm marking the start of this innovative partnership.

The project is being funded jointly by a number of different parties. Objective One is investing £250,000 in the scheme, with an additional £185,000 coming from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and a further £73,500 from the South West Regional Development Agency. Combined with contributions from Cornwall County Council, North Cornwall and Caradon District Councils, more than £500,000 of public funding will be used to support the £1 million project.

The two year infrastructure project which will be carried out by Western Power Distribution, whose engineering teams have already commenced the extensive work needed to bring electricity supplies to remote parts of Cornwall previously not served by the mains network.

Tregolds Farm at St Issey will be the first property to be connected under the new initiative. The farm, run by the Wood family, had previously relied on the use of a generator, gas and oil powered lamps and candles. Now with electricity available at the flick of a switch life will never be quite the same again.

Jamie Wood said: "To have electricity 24 hours a day when we need it will greatly improve the running of the farm. We will now be able to undertake many more jobs on site. For example we will now be able to dry our own corn instead of making the 12 mile round trip by tractor that we needed to before. It will make such a difference.”

Preliminary works are already under way in other areas of Cornwall including Launceston, Bodmin, Redruth and Truro and the entire infrastructure project is scheduled to take two years to complete.

Chief Executive of Western Power Distribution, Robert Symons said: "We are delighted that these small businesses in Cornwall will now receive the benefits mains electricity can bring including improved efficiency and competitiveness.”

Paul Tyler MP commented: "It is wonderful to see Cornish businesses progressing in this way after a long and complicated process to obtain this investment. I would like to thank all those organisations and funders who have helped to support this project and whose efforts are now being realised with this first switch on today.”

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said: "The Objective One Programme is committed to delivering lasting economic change to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The creation of wealth in the private sector is the ultimate driver of sustainable prosperity. The connection to the electricity network of our most rural businesses helps set a level playing field in which all our businesses can thrive.”

Editor's notes:

You are invited to send a photographer/camera crew to the official 'switch on' of the Cornwall Connected project by Paul Tyler MP on Friday May 7th at 12.30pm. The switch on will take place at Tregolds Farm, Little Petherick, St Issey, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7SD. For directions or a map please telephone 0117 933 2237.

Further project information:

For further information please contact WPD Media Relations on 0117 933 2005

Sue Wolstenholme
Objective One Communications
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mob: 07973 813647
Tel: 01579 370991

lmroberts@cornwall.gov.uk

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