Windmills owned by KCC

Update August 2024

Following the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 9 July, and careful consideration of the consultation responses, the Cabinet Member for Environment has taken the decision that:

  • KCC should seek to divest itself of the windmills it currently owns by a method that ensures that the windmills have a sustainable future in which they are appropriately cared for and maintained as community assets;
  • and that the Heritage Conservation Strategy is updated to reflect this.

The updated draft of the Heritage Conversation Strategy is expected to be published on Kent.gov in November.

Update July 2024

The Consultation Report is now available from the Documents section on this page.

The consultation report will be presented to Members of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 9 July 2024. Following this meeting a decision is expected to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Environment.

We will publish details of the decision on this webpage.

Update May 2024

Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation. We received a great response, with over 2,300 individuals and organisations telling us their views.

This feedback is being carefully analysed and considered. The consultation report, along with our response, will be presented to Members of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee in due course. The consultation report will be made available from this webpage, along with a link to the Cabinet Committee report.

Original text

Kent County Council (KCC) owns and is responsible for the preservation of eight historic windmills across the county.

Due to the ongoing financial challenges faced by the council, we are looking very closely at where savings can be made. One possibility is to find alternative arrangements for the ownership and/or financial responsibility for each of the windmills. This would be a change to our current strategy for windmills as set out in the Kent Heritage Conservation Strategy.

The windmills potentially impacted are:

  • Chillenden Mill
  • Cranbrook, Union Mill
  • Herne Mill
  • Margate, Drapers Mill
  • Meopham Mill
  • Stelling Minnis, Davison’s Mill
  • West Kingsdown Mill
  • Wittersham, Stocks Mill.

The Consultation Document, which is available from the Documents section on this page, provides more information on these windmills, the review we undertook, the proposal and our reasons for proposing to find alternative arrangements for these windmills.

Have your say!

Before any decisions are made, we want to hear the views of Kent residents, windmill and heritage volunteer groups, and other interested parties.

Please, tell us what you think by completing the online questionnaire on this page.

What happens next?

After the consultation closes feedback from the consultation, alongside the Equality Impact Assessment, will be presented to the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee before a decision is made by the Cabinet Member for Environment.

We will publish a consultation report, summarising the consultation responses, on this webpage. An email will also be sent to those who complete the online questionnaire and select that that they want to be kept informed of KCC consultations.

Update August 2024

Following the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 9 July, and careful consideration of the consultation responses, the Cabinet Member for Environment has taken the decision that:

  • KCC should seek to divest itself of the windmills it currently owns by a method that ensures that the windmills have a sustainable future in which they are appropriately cared for and maintained as community assets;
  • and that the Heritage Conservation Strategy is updated to reflect this.

The updated draft of the Heritage Conversation Strategy is expected to be published on Kent.gov in November.

Update July 2024

The Consultation Report is now available from the Documents section on this page.

The consultation report will be presented to Members of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 9 July 2024. Following this meeting a decision is expected to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Environment.

We will publish details of the decision on this webpage.

Update May 2024

Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation. We received a great response, with over 2,300 individuals and organisations telling us their views.

This feedback is being carefully analysed and considered. The consultation report, along with our response, will be presented to Members of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee in due course. The consultation report will be made available from this webpage, along with a link to the Cabinet Committee report.

Original text

Kent County Council (KCC) owns and is responsible for the preservation of eight historic windmills across the county.

Due to the ongoing financial challenges faced by the council, we are looking very closely at where savings can be made. One possibility is to find alternative arrangements for the ownership and/or financial responsibility for each of the windmills. This would be a change to our current strategy for windmills as set out in the Kent Heritage Conservation Strategy.

The windmills potentially impacted are:

  • Chillenden Mill
  • Cranbrook, Union Mill
  • Herne Mill
  • Margate, Drapers Mill
  • Meopham Mill
  • Stelling Minnis, Davison’s Mill
  • West Kingsdown Mill
  • Wittersham, Stocks Mill.

The Consultation Document, which is available from the Documents section on this page, provides more information on these windmills, the review we undertook, the proposal and our reasons for proposing to find alternative arrangements for these windmills.

Have your say!

Before any decisions are made, we want to hear the views of Kent residents, windmill and heritage volunteer groups, and other interested parties.

Please, tell us what you think by completing the online questionnaire on this page.

What happens next?

After the consultation closes feedback from the consultation, alongside the Equality Impact Assessment, will be presented to the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee before a decision is made by the Cabinet Member for Environment.

We will publish a consultation report, summarising the consultation responses, on this webpage. An email will also be sent to those who complete the online questionnaire and select that that they want to be kept informed of KCC consultations.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Have your say!

    We would like to hear your views on our proposal and have provided this questionnaire for you to provide your feedback. 

    We recommend you read the consultation document before responding to this questionnaire.

    You can answer all or as many of the questions as you would like to. If you would rather not provide feedback on a section or question, just move on to the next one.