Hydroelectric scheme to power country park visitor centre

Anthony Lewis, Local democracy reporter

A hydroelectric renewable energy scheme will power a country park visitor centre and hotel.

The application for the scheme on part of the Dare Valley Country Park in the Cynon Valley was given approval by Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council’s planning committee on Thursday, September 4.

It involves the installation of a 50kW micro-hydroelectric renewable energy scheme west of the visitor centre and will provide electricity for use by the Dare Valley Country Park visitor centre and the hotel.

The proposal will involve the removal and replacement of the existing weir and construction of an underground control chamber.

It will also see the construction of a powerhouse comprising water pipes, turbines, an electrical generator, and other electrical management and distribution equipment.

Powerhouse

A water feed “penstock” pipe will be installed to carry diverted flows from the weir/control chamber to the powerhouse.

A cable route will be installed from the powerhouse to the nearby Dare Valley Country Park visitor centre to connect the renewable energy produced while there would be minor excavation and burial or otherwise securing of infrastructure and structures and management of woodland areas for ecological benefit and reinstatement of existing paths.

Watercourse

In recommending approval, RCT planning officers said in their report: “The proposed hydro-electric scheme would make use of an existing watercourse and would generate electricity for use by the existing visitor centre and hotel at Dare Valley Country Park, which would go some way in helping to meet Welsh Government’s renewable energy targets of generating 70% of Wales’ electricity consumption from renewable energy by 2030.

“The scheme is considered to be modest in terms of its scale and would have very little visual impact given that the majority of the works would be undertaken either within the existing watercourse or underground whilst the turbine, generator, and switchgear would be housed within a new powerhouse building, which would be appropriate to the setting of the wider country park.

“Whilst there are a number of residential properties in close proximity to the lower lake where the powerhouse would be sited the building would be of a modest scale and would not have any physical impact upon the amenity of neighbouring occupiers.

“Furthermore, the noise impact assessment submitted to support the
application demonstrates that the development would not result in any adverse levels of noise.”

There were no public objections to the application.