Plans for controversial wind farm submitted to Welsh Government
Lewis Smith Local Democracy Reporter
Plans for a wind-farm that could potentially be the highest on-shore site in the UK have been submitted to the Welsh Government.
The proposed site which would hold up to 18 turbines, and be named Y Bryn wind-farm, sits on two blocks of Welsh Government woodland estate managed by Natural Resources Wales – and would fall largely within Neath Port Talbot County Borough, stretching in parts to Bridgend County Borough.
The project proposes some of the tallest turbines in the UK, measuring between 206 to 230 metres, and up to 250 metres to tip, along with turbine foundations, external transformer housings, a control building, and battery/energy storage facility.
It means the turbines could eventually stand at a massive 820 feet tall if given the go-ahead in the coming months, a height more than double that of the current tallest building in Wales, The Tower, Meridian Quay in Swansea.
“Prepared to fight”
It is the third revision of the plans, which have now been submitted to Welsh ministers by developers at Coriolis Energy, after what they describe as “extensive local community and technical consultation.”
If approved, the plans say the site could deliver “up to 130MW of renewable energy generation, equivalent to the annual needs of 68% of households in Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend combined, whilst offsetting over 137,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel generation each year.”
However, residents who live nearby have said they are prepared to fight the plans as they believe they are unsuitable for the area, with the potential to have negative impacts on the environment as well as being an eyesore.
They have also started up an action group which has amassed more than a thousand members, and have previously held protests in the village of Bryn near to where the turbines could be placed.
Speaking after the submission of the plans the project manager for Y Bryn, Trevor Hunter, said: “We are excited for the examination period to commence and pleased that we have been able to engage with so many stakeholders interested in the development. We believe this development will make significant contributions to meet Wales’ renewable energy targets.
“We would like to thank everyone who has taken part in the consultation processes since 2021. We have received a range of views about the plans, including a great deal of local and regional support. At this stage, we’d encourage everyone with a view on the proposals to participate in the PEDW examination process.”
The planning application for Y Bryn windfarm is now with an inspector from Planning Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) who will examine the application before a final decision is made by Welsh Ministers.
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Considering Wales can easily generate enough electricity from offshore wind alone to reach net zero, produce hydrogen for backup and remain a major exporter to England we really don’t need to fill our green spaces with energy infrastructure
The Welsh Government know this, the U.K. Government know this, so quite why this is allowed to continue is a mystery
Quite right. These are not for our benefit so why should we put up with them? We don’t even get our own energy at a reduced rate for putting up with this. Someone remind me, what is the benefit of being part of this Union?
For every one wind turbine placed in the valleys one should be placed near the coast in the Vale of Glamorgan. We’d soon see protests from our well-to-do compatriots living in the Vale.
Wish they would say what the profit margin is for the company building them
We know they will power X number of houses. But those house will be paying the going rate, not getting it free or reduces cost when the wind blows. Until they are community owned we are still taken to the cleaners.
More foreign companies raping Wales visually. What is even worst is that this company appears as a partner on the Climate Cymru website. I wonder if all those young people on the website campaigning for a supposed green future are even aware of this.
Rape of the fair country part two wake up Wales
Take a look across the channel, see if you can spot any turbines in Somerset or north Devon.
Wales the dumping ground for what England doesn’t want once again.
Courtesy the Welsh Government, though, do remember that!
When the Pant Y Wal ( near Glyn Ogwr, Bridgend) wind turbine collapsed to the ground and was destroyed. It was over spinning by 4 times its normal rotational speed, and did this for 4 hours. The blade tips were not far off breaking the Sound Barrier. Imagine the sound of a Chinook helicopter, only much, much louder ! Collapsing to the ground was the good news. The bad news was that the developers ( Pennant Walters, Hirwaun, RCT ) didn’t warn anyone of the danger. Perhaps, they didn’t even know it was in extreme danger. If the turbine blades… Read more »