Wind turbines could soon be built next to M4 in South Gloucestershire

They would be located on farmland and help power the nearby Bristol and Bath Science Park including a huge artificial intelligence centre.

The wind turbines would be set up by the Bristol Energy Network, with a grant from the West of England Combined Authority.

As well as the turbines, the 228-acre Leigh Farm in Pucklechurch would be used for planting a new woodland and creating an area for Gypsy and Traveller communities.

South Gloucestershire Council’s cabinet is expected to sign off the plans on Monday, July 14.

A cabinet report set out the details, including one problem with the proposal that prevents the turbines powering homes around the area for many years.

The report said: “The significant difference between BEN’s proposals and that of a commercial energy company is that the benefit is routed back into communities.

"The local community would benefit from the surplus income generated from the turbines.

"Current proposals are to construct two turbines with a capacity of 4.26 megawatts each.

“Due to many constraints including the availability of grid connection, opportunities for new renewable electricity generation and storage are limited within South Gloucestershire.

"The grid operator generally suggests post 2036–7 for connection where capacity currently does not exist.

“Recognising the widespread challenges of achieving a grid connection, for the energy produced by wind turbines at Leigh Farm an off-taker for a private wire is being evaluated for delivering power to the Bristol and Bath Science Park with a proposal to supply the Isambard AI facility.

The proposed site at Leigh Farm in Pucklechurch. Image: Google 

"This private wire option is likely to be required given grid connection timescales.”

Across the country, a lack of grid capacity is hampering the roll out of new renewable energy.

Developers wanting to build solar farms or wind turbines face huge obstacles, as the existing electricity network cannot handle the extra energy flowing through its cables and power lines.

This means that if new wind turbines were installed this year, they might not be able to connect to the general electricity network for more than a decade.

The delays are slowing down how fast the country can switch to using renewable energy and away from fossil fuels, which are causing the climate to heat up with effects such as increasingly common deadly floods and heatwaves.

In the meantime, a private wire could send renewable energy generated by the turbines straight to the nearby science park.

This is home to a giant power-hungry supercomputer, used for researching artificial intelligence and hosted by the University of Bristol.

It’s unclear at the moment when construction of the turbines would begin and when they would start operating.

A new 30-hectare woodland is also planned for Leigh Farm, running alongside the motorway as a buffer.

This will include a wildflower meadow, and public rights of way, so the community can access the woods, as well as providing a boost to nature with new habitats for wildlife.

Part of the land could also become six Gypsy and Traveller plots.

The location of the turbines atLeigh Farm. Image: South Gloucestershire Council