FRESH plans to build wind turbines on upland between Abertillery and Pontypool have been lodged again with Welsh Government planning inspectors – just over a year after the previous proposal was shelved.
The site at Mynydd Llanhilleth is mostly across the border in Torfaen County Borough – but the western part of the site is close to the villages of Llanhilleth and Bryn Ithel in Blaenau Gwent.
Seven 180 metre wind turbines
Pennant Walters want to build seven wind turbines that would be 180 metres in height, and also the associated infrastructure.
The previous proposal was for eight turbines and was withdrawn by the developers in June 2021 on the advice of planning inspectors..
As the proposal is classed as a Development of National Significance (DNS) Welsh Government planning inspectors at Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) will process the application.
PEDW will eventually recommend to Welsh Government ministers whether to approve the scheme or not.
This means that Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen will be consultees rather than decision makers, and planning officers in both authorities will now be busy during the next month producing a local impact report (LIR) on the scheme.
The LIR is the council’s opportunity to feed into the process, by explaining what they think planning inspectors should take careful note of when deciding the application.
Pennant Walters
Pennant Walters held a pre-applications consultation on the revised proposal last year, which only received four responses.
One of these came from Gareth Thomas, the director of planning and place at Bannau Brycheniog National Park Authority’s (BBNPA).
Bannau Brycheiniog objects to the proposal on the grounds that it would have a negative impact on three of the “special qualities of the park” which are the: “sweeping grandeur and outstanding natural beauty, peace, tranquillity and darkness and contrasting patterns, colours and textures.”
They also note the volume of DNS applications for energy schemes in the area and believe this should be taken into account, including even those beyond 26 kilometres away from the park.
Mr Thomas said: “There are a number of other DNS schemes through various stages of the consenting process and have a cumulative impact which needs to be accounted for.
“We are concerned with the potential for a proliferation of such schemes on the fringes of the National Park should these be consented.
“Potential cumulative effects on landscape and visual matters can occur over a large radius.”
Pennant Walters have pointed out that BBNPA did not comment on the original proposal and say that the new scheme is built on the work and consultation done over several years on the previous scheme.
Pennant Walters said: “Throughout the consultation process, including the previous and current applications, the proposed development has been refined, in consultation with and following feedback from the relevant community and technical consultees.
“It is felt that the final application represents a high-quality scheme, that can provide significant contributions to this country’s carbon reduction targets, with minimal detrimental impact to the local area.”
Pennant Walters say that wind farm will generate 34 MW of electricity, which is enough to power 21.500 homes for a year.
The first round of consultation finishes on September 1.