Council planners conclude windfarm would have ‘negative’ impact

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A windfarm that could power 5,500 homes would have a “negative” impact, council planners have concluded.

A decision on whether to grant approval for the Mynydd Maen windfarm, west of Cwmbran and south of Pontypool, which would have 13 turbines with a height to their blade of 149 metres, will have to be decided by the Welsh Government but Torfaen Borough Council has had to compile a local impact report.

That has concluded overall, the impact on the landscape and visual amenity of Torfaen would be “negative” and the impact on residential amenity is also judged to be “negative”.

The report, which will be submitted to Welsh planning body Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), was presented to Torfaen Borough Council’s planning committee at its May meeting.

Birds of prey

Among concerns raised by councillors was the potential impact on birds of prey, and it was acknowledged the turbines could kill around two every day.

The proposed development area covers 376 hectares, of which around 120 is within Torfaen and the remainder within Caerphilly County Borough Council’s area and much of it within the Abercarn Visually Important Local Landscape while part of its south eastern corner is within Torfaen’s special upland landscape area.

Most of the site is within the area that has been pre-assessed by the Welsh Government where there is a presumption in favour of wind generation.

Pontypool independent councillor Mark Jones said the turbines would be nearly 150m: “To put that into context of pylons 150m is around 500 foot high the average pylon is 150 foot. These are absolutely monstrous things.”

Welsh policy

Cllr Jones said he also didn’t understand how the area was proposed when Welsh policy states large scale wind farms won’t be permitted in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“Anybody who has been on Mynydd Maen and can tell me that’s not an area of outstanding natural beauty, then I don’t know what is,” said Cllr Jones.

Planning officer Justin Jones explained an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a “particular designation in law” which he said the area hasn’t been designated but acknowledged it has “unique features” but has also been assessed as being acceptable for windfarm developments.

Mr Jones said details of nesting sites for red kites and peregrine falcons couldn’t be publicly disclosed but applicants Renewable Energy Systems has proposed mitigations as part of its assessments

It also wants permission to move the siting of the turbines 50 metres in any direction which Mr Jones said would have to be considered in relation to its mitigation proposals to protect the birds of prey.

Reform UK councillor for Llantarnam, Alan Slade said: “I’ve read these turbines can kill up to two raptors everyday. Will there by any assessment of fatalities after these turbines have gone up?”

Mr Jones said he understood the “anticipated kill rate” isn’t a dissimilar figure to the one Cllr Slade had mentioned but said there would be mitigations including that a turbine could be switched off.

A condition requiring a turbine be switched off will also be suggested as part of measures to control noise if it is found to have an unacceptable impact.

The developer will be expected to respond to the issues raised in the council’s report which also considers the cumulative impact with other wind farms proposed nearby at Llanhilleth and Abertillery.