Councillors to write to Welsh Government over concerns about energy park plans

Elgan Hearn – Local democracy reporter

Councillors will be joining forces to write a letter to the Welsh Government to voice their concerns about the number of energy projects in the pipeline in their local authority.

The move was revealed at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Wednesday, February 19 during discussion of a planning application for a 120 metre high weather mast near Llandrindod Wells.

The mast is needed to test the wind speeds ahead of selecting the type of turbine for the proposed Nant Mithil Energy Park.

This weather mast is the third to be approved by the planning committee during the last nine months and they are all precursors to potential wind farm applications.

‘Open mind’

The other two are at  Esgair Galed near Staylittle and Aberedw Hill Builth Wells.

All of which would be processed by Welsh Government planning inspectors at PEDW as Developments of National Significance (DNS) before being decided by a minister.

Conservative Cllr Karl Lewis said: “I always view applications with an open mind, and I don’t have anything in particular against the mast but obviously it does open up an energy park.

“Again, I come with that with an open mind, and it will be decided by the Welsh Government.

“There are valid concerns about the amount of energy parks coming into Powys at the moment.

“I was wondering would it be in our gift to suggest that you ( Cllr Garath D Jones) write to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, with our legitimate concerns.”

Concerns

Committee chairman, Powys Independents Cllr Gareth D Jones said: “I understand that the chair of council is convening a meeting to discuss this and the cumulative effect of everything.”

He believed the concerns would be addressed in this way.

“Maybe we can focus on this application, I’m happy if you want to raise that afterwards,” said Cllr Jones.

The Powys council chairman, Cllr Jonathan Wilkinson is also a member of the Planning committee.

Later on in the discussion Cllr Wilkinson wanted to answer Cllr Lewis’ comments and asked if he could reply to Cllr Lewis comments.

But he was told by Cllr Jones to: “stick to the application and discuss that later.”

The Welsh Government’s PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) currently have  13 DNS energy applications  in various stages of development for sites all around Powys.