Welsh Government considers controversial Pembrokeshire wind farm plans

Katy Jenkins, local democracy reporter

A ‘development of national significance’ for three wind turbines in south Pembrokeshire is awaiting Welsh Government determination.

An application for a three 4.3MW turbine wind farm on land near the Valero oil refinery, to the east of Rhoscrowther has been submitted by Keith McKinney for Rhoscrowther Wind Farm Limited, which is said to have the potential to generate enough energy to power around 9,900 homes.

The three turbines will be up to 135m to tip height and plans include access tracks, turbine transformer, cables and substation on land off Refinery Road.

Former Pembrokeshire County councillor John Allen Mirehouse is listed as the site owner on planning application documents submitted, along with an agricultural holding certificate linked to Hoplass Farm, Rhoscrowther.

Pre-planning consultation has been carried out with some objections already logged with the with the Planning Inspectorate including from local MS Samuel Kurtz, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, residents, Angle Community Council, and county councillor Steve Alderman.

The Campaign for the Protection Rural Wales (CPRW) has raised concerns about the height and blade size of the proposed turbines.

Damaging projects

CPRW argues that “the adverse impacts of the proposal are greater than claimed and should also be judged in relation to the long catalogue of damaging projects on this site which have all been definitively dismissed.”

Proposals for five turbines on the site was not successful following an application in 2015 with a planning appeal dismissed by Welsh Ministers in 2018.

Planning documents add that the site is within the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone and “the layout has gone through a number of revisions to ensure that the potential adverse environmental effects, such as visual impact, were minimised while maintaining the operation capacity of the wind farm.”

The Welsh Government Planning Inspectorate has accepted the application, received representations, and is now due to make a determination on the proposal.