Sir and Lady Dashwood plan wind turbines near popular holiday park

Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter

Formal plans for an English investment company to site three 328-foot-high wind turbines close to Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone holiday park and the former Oakwood theme park has been lodged.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, High Wycombe-based Slebech Investments Limited seeks permission for three wind turbines of up to 100 metres height on land at Newhouse Farm, Canaston Bridge, close to the two parks, and close to the border with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The proposed site on agricultural land across three fields is some 3.5 kilometres from Narberth, and would be accessed from the A4075 via an existing track opposite Bluestone Resort’s service entrance, some 350m south of the main roundabout entrance to Bluestone.

Proposal

The formal application follows an earlier screening request submitted to the council in February, and details of the proposal being sent to local county councillors, community councils and residents.

The three 1MW turbines, if granted, would generate electricity equivalent to powering 1,900 homes, the applicants say; power connected to the grid, but explorations are underway for its potential use by local businesses.

A supporting statement through agent Sirius Planning said: “The footprint of the proposed development is modest in scale, with the wider fields and landholding able to continue to operate with minimal impact from the proposal.

“ In addition, ecological enhancements implemented in recent years within the landholding will not be impacted by the proposed wind turbine development.  The overcall context of the site is rural with the site surrounded to the south and east by agricultural fields and woodland areas.

“To the north is PBE Fuels, Bluestone Resort head office (The Grange) and Newhouse Farm. To the west are agricultural fields and the A4075, beyond which is Bluestone Resort, comprising holiday lodges and leisure amenities, and Oakwood Theme Park. A ground-mounted solar scheme is located to the south-west of the site beyond the A4075.”

West Wycombe

If granted, the scheme would take some four months in construction, the statement says, with approximately 354 deliveries to the site.

It is anticipated that a public consultation event will be held during the planning process, the applicants have said.

In the initial screening application, Sirius said the turbines could be used to provide power for Bluestone Holiday Park Resort and/or Oakwood Theme Park.

Since the initial application Oakwood has closed, but proposals for a revival have recently been mooted.

On that screening application, Sirius said: “There are no designated or non-designated features within the application site which are protected for their landscape and scenic value.  The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park lies to the north and west beyond the Bluestone Resort and Oakwood Theme Park.

“The landscape character already incorporates existing wind turbines and other large vertical structures, such as Oaklands [sic] Theme Park rollercoasters which are existing detractors within the landscape.”

On Companies House, Slebech Investments Limited, of West Wycombe Park Office, West Wycombe Park,  lists two directors: Sir Edward John Francis Dashwood and Lady Lucinda Nell Dashwood.

The proposals will be considered by county planners at a later date.