Editing Swaffham (section)

== Wind turbines and Green Britain Centre ==
[[File:Swaffham.JPG|thumb|upright|The Green Britain Centre in 2006]]
Today the town is known for the presence of two large [[Enercon]] E-66 [[wind turbine]]s. The first of these began operation in 1999<ref>{{cite web|website=Ecotricity|title=The Green Britain Centre, Norfolk|url=https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/our-green-electricity/from-the-wind/wind-parks-gallery/green-britain-centre|access-date=28 July 2020}}</ref> and the second in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|website=Ecotricity|title=Swaffham, Norfolk|url=https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/our-green-electricity/from-the-wind/wind-parks-gallery/swaffham|access-date=28 July 2020}}</ref> Together they generate more than three [[megawatt]]s.<ref>Ecotricity. ''[https://archive.today/20120910111734/http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/projects/op_ecotech.html Swaffham-I] '' and ''[http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/projects/op_swaffhamII.html Swaffham-II]''. Retrieved 10 February 2006.</ref> The first of the wind turbines to be constructed was an Enercon E66/1500 with 1.5 MW generation capacity, 67 metres [[nacelle]] height and 66 metres rotor diameter.<ref name="thewindpower">{{cite web|url=http://www.thewindpower.net/wind-farm-1403.php|publisher=thewindpower.net|title=Eco Tech Centre (United-Kingdom) - Wind farms - Online access - The Wind Power |access-date=29 December 2016}}</ref> It was also built with an [[Unconventional wind turbines#Observation deck|observation deck]] just below the nacelle which was open for the public to climb during the 2000s and 2010s, the only wind turbine in the world to have such a facility. These two turbines have since been joined by an independent development of a further eight turbines at the village of [[North Pickenham]], three miles from Swaffham.

The turbines were originally associated with the EcoTech Centre, a visitor centre which was opened in 1999.<ref name=Faulkner/> The centre hosted the 2008 British [[BASE jumping]] championships; contestants jumped from the roof of the observation deck.<ref name="bbc_basejump">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7643085.stm | title=Turbine hosts base jumping | date=29 September 2008 | work=BBC News | access-date = 26 January 2011}}</ref> In 2008 the energy company [[Ecotricity]] took over the management of the site<ref name=Chapman>{{cite news|title=Swap deal could breathe new life into vacant visitor attraction|url=https://www.wattonandswaffhamtimes.co.uk/news/green-britain-centre-swaffham-swap-deal-1-6376664|date=15 November 2019|first=Thomas|last=Chapman|newspaper=Watton and Swaffham Times}}</ref> and in 2012 the visitor centre was renamed the Green Britain Centre. The centre provided a venue for school trips and event hire, and had educational displays focussing on sustainability in food, energy and transport.<ref name=Faulkner>{{cite news|title=Businesses and schools left in the lurch as Swaffham's Green Britain Centre closes suddenly|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/swaffham-green-britain-centre-closes-dale-vince-1-5559330|newspaper=Eastern Daily Press|author=Doug Faulkner|date=13 June 2018}}</ref> The height of the attraction's popularity was in 2016, when 22,000 people visited the centre and 8,000 climbed the turbine.<ref name=Vickers>{{cite news|title=What does the future hold for Swaffham's Green Britain Centre?|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/what-next-for-swaffhams-green-britain-centre-8199160|newspaper=Eastern Daily Press|date=8 August 2021|first=Noah|last=Vickers}}</ref>

In June 2018 it was announced that the centre had closed for financial reasons and that Ecotricity intended to hand the building back to [[Breckland District]] Council (BDC).<ref name=Faulkner/> The council subsequently put it up for rent or sale and discussed exchanging it with Swaffham Town Council in return for {{convert|5|acres|ha}} of building land.<ref name=Chapman/> A proposal to convert the building into a leisure centre was considered by BDC but ultimately abandoned.<ref>{{cite news|title=Environmental centre was 'too difficult' to convert into leisure facility, says council|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/swaffham-green-britain-centre-too-difficult-to-convert-6902882|newspaper=Eastern Daily Press|date=18 January 2021|first=Abigail|last=Nicholson}}</ref> In 2021 the building was sold to manufacturer Flexion Global for use as their headquarters.<ref>{{cite news|title=International firm to move global HQ to Norfolk town|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/business/green-britain-centre-in-swaffham-bought-8136316|newspaper=Eastern Daily Press|date=12 July 2021|first=Daniel|last=Moxon}}</ref> Shortly after the sale, Swaffham Town Council gave BCD a parcel of land next to the centre on which BDC intends to build a leisure centre.<ref name=Vickers/>