‘Negative’ effect expected from German energy giant’s windfarm

Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter

A German renewable energy giant’s plans to build a windfarm near Abertillery would have a “negative” effect on the county borough according to council planners.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, March 6, councillors are set to receive a Local Impact Report (LIR) on the windfarm proposal.

German renewable energy giant RWE want to build up to six wind turbines with a maximum height of 200 metres on land between Abertillery and Abersychan.

The site includes parts of Mynydd James and Gwastad Common and straddles the local authority boundaries of Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen county borough council.

National significance

The planning application will be dealt with by Welsh Government planning inspectors as a Development of National Significance (DNS).

This means it will be processed at Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) and a Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary will eventually announce the decision based on a recommendation by planning inspectors.

The LIR is the council’s opportunity of feeding into the process, by explaining what they think Welsh Government planning inspectors at PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) should take careful note of when deciding the application.

“Negative” impacts

Blaenau Gwent planners said in the LIR: “The council has reviewed the submitted information relating to the current proposal and anticipates that the impacts of the development as a whole would be negative.

“In addition, there are concerns raised that the application lacks sufficient information to allow full and reasoned assessments with regard to biodiversity, and cultural heritage.

“In this respect additional information is required before the council can provide a review of how these works would impact on these subject areas. It is requested that these issues be considered prior to determination of the application.”

RWE have held three drop in exhibitions throughout the pre-application consultation period last year to explain their proposals to residents.

In October it was revealed that RWE had been in discussions with the council on becoming part owners of the scheme.

RWE say that the wind farm has the potential to generate power equivalent to the needs of approximately 50,000 homes.

PEDW estimates that a planning inspector’s report on the application will be submitted to a Welsh Government minister to mull over by June.