Petition launched opposing windfarm of ‘national significance’

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

A petition opposed to a potential wind farm on a Gwent mountain has been signed more than 2,300 times. 

Campaigner Matt Davies, of Cwmbran, began collecting signatures online after he learned late last year of the proposal for up to 13 wind turbines on Mynydd Maen which is to the north west of the town and east of Newbridge and Crumlin. 

Mr Davies, who lives in Thornhill, has also highlighted his concerns about the impact of a separate plan for up to four turbines, west of the mountain and east of Newbridge and south of Hafodyrynys, in Caerphilly borough, and the Cil-Lonydd solar farm to the south of the village and east of Pantside which could use the same grid connection as the planned Mynydd Maen wind farm.

National significance

All three proposals are considered developments of national significance, due to the amount of energy they could generate, and as such an independent planning inspector on behalf of national planning body Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) will have to make a recommendation to the Welsh Government on whether to approve or reject the plans. 

Borough councils will be expected to compile impact reports setting out how the proposals could affect their areas, but councillors will only get to give their opinions. 

Mr Davies said he would like Torfaen and Caerphilly borough councils to come out in opposition to the current proposals. 

“I would like to see them backing the residents,” said Mr Davies: “Over 2,300 people have signed the petition and the more people who find out, the more want to sign. It would be nice to see the leaders get behind it and say they don’t want it up there.” 

Proposals

The four turbines proposed by Pennant Walters, for the Trecelyn wind farm, within Caerphilly borough would measure up to 145 metres to the tips of their blades and the 13 planned by RES at Mynydd Maen, with the land split between Caerphilly and Torfaen, could be 149.9m tall. 

“That is twice the height of The Tower flats in Cwmbran,” said Mr Davies who has also also highlighted concern at the impact of construction traffic on narrow roads in the area as well as “industrialisation” of the mountain and impact on peatlands. 

He also claimed wind farms would hit house prices in the area and is sceptical of the power generation capabilities and believes off shore wind is a more suitable form or renewable energy generation. 

Mr Davies is collecting signatures on his Stop Mynydd-Maen Wind Farm petition on the Change.org website where he has also posted links to websites for each development, created by the developers, that sets out detailed technical information about their proposals and mitigation measures. 

Maps showing the locations are also available.

A spokeswoman for RES said it is currently waiting for formal confirmation from PEDW it has validated its planning application for the Mynydd Maen windfarm and once it has received confirmation there will be a five week consultation period publicised by PEDW.