Dear Resident,
Update on Wind Farms and the Connection Project in Mid Wales
Following your past interest, I thought that it would be timely to provide an update on issues relating to onshore wind energy and the Mid Wales connection project.
I will attempt to set out the factual positions, and also include my own views in this update. There is one overarching theme in my report, and that is of the two very different directions of the UK and Welsh governments. The Welsh Government seems utterly determined to ruin the Montgomeryshire landscape with multiple wind farms and pylons. The UK Government last year confirmed that it would end subsidies for onshore wind energy.
As you may be aware, last September, the UK Government announced the outcome of the conjoined public inquiry which was triggered by the objection of Powys County Council to five separate wind farm applications, plus an application for an overhead line. In my view, it was a victory for democracy when the UK Government’s Department for Energy and Climate Change rejected all but one of the applications. Typically, the Welsh Government were critical of the decision.
However, two of the developers (RWE and RES) of the Carnedd Wen and Llanbrynmair developments decided to seek a Judicial Review into the process by which the decisions on the wind farm applications were reached. The Secretary of State considered the position and judged that the best way forward was to 'quash' the decisions and reconsider them. Clearly both developers are intent on using any legal opportunity they can to have their way. I hope that after due consideration the Minister will come to the same decision as she did on September 7th. Although there is no statutory timescale for the redetermination of these applications, the Secretary of State aims to do this in ‘a timely manner’.
Now to turn to a number of wind farm developments that were not part of the Public Inquiry.
The Tirgwynt wind farm development in the Carno area was granted permission some years ago, the development already has access to the Grid along existing power lines. This wind farm has to be producing power by April 2017 if it's to receive public subsidy. Turbine components for this wind farm will travel through Welshpool, and on through Cwmgolau and Cefn Coch to the site. There are already road / engineering works being carried out along the route.
The Garreg Lwyd wind farm near the Radnorshire/Montgomeryshire border (again this development was also not part of the Public Inquiry) was approved by the Welsh Government in May of last year. This project already has its own access to the Grid, having no need for the Mid Wales Connection project. Before the Welsh Government approved this application, I lodged my objection highlighting the serious traffic issues it would cause in and around Newtown. In February of this year, I raised the matter with the First Minister, Carwyn Jones during weekly questions, and asked him to confirm that traffic movements required during the construction of the wind farm would not take place during busy periods. Although he confirmed that disruption would be kept to a minimum, I’m aware that the Welsh Government is planning transport movements to take place late summer, causing, in my view, chaos on our roads during the tourist season. The traffic movements will travel along the A483, through Newtown, and I have a deep concern that these movements will need to travel under a low bridge with the potential for further disruption.
There was also a recent decision (March 2015) by the Powys County Council Planning Committee to grant permission for a wind farm near Carno (Carno 3) which states an intention to connect to the currently suspended Mid Wales Connection Project. It was disappointing in my view that the planning committee gave approval to this application. The committee seemed to lack the courage that the whole Council showed some years ago when it refused larger applications. However, it would not have made that much difference because any appeal would have been to the Welsh Government, rather than to the Westminster Government and I suspect that the council were concerned of potential implications had they not approved the application. All said, in my view, it now seems less likely that this project will go ahead, as the project has no agreed connection to the grid, and the development will not be built in time to gain the granting of subsidy (both decided by the UK Government).
Finally, to report on changes on who will determine future onshore wind applications, on March 1st this year, the UK Government devolved planning for all onshore wind applications, regardless of size, to local councils in England and Wales. However, on the same day, the Welsh Government (as local authorities are a devolved area of responsibility) passed regulations to take those powers away from Welsh councils and bring these decisions in-house for Welsh ministers to determine. Local Planning Authorities in England are being empowered through the principle of localism and the devolution of decision-making powers away from central government control to individuals and communities. In Wales, communities are being denied a say by a Government wedded to top-down command and control.
In reality, as a result of this ill-conceived legislation, local opinion will become more irrelevant because, by definition, any proposal lodged with and determined by the Welsh Government will automatically be of so-called “national significance” and therefore assume a status of importance which, it will be argued, is in the national interest and therefore override any other local considerations. This is a charter to ensure that developments can take place anywhere across Wales, regardless of local opposition. Thankfully, the granting of subsidies to these wind farms remains non-devolved - which makes it unlikely that the Mid Wales Connection Project and other large applications will go ahead.
For me, you don’t improve consistency and capacity by simply taking the decision making process out of the hands of elected planning authorities; all you are doing is eroding local democracy and it is regrettable that although I and Welsh Conservative colleagues voted against this regulation, all other Assembly Members representing Powys saw fit to support the Welsh Government, denying local people a voice.
I have always passionately believed that efforts should be made to deliver true devolution to local communities, shifting power away from central government, bringing transparency and local power to the heart of local decision-making, and restoring public confidence.
I will continue to work closely with our MP Glyn Davies, who has been heavily involved in lobbying to shape UK Government policy in regards to onshore wind energy. I also pay tribute to the local campaign groups who have worked tirelessly over the past 5 years.
With work on the Mid Wales Connection Project now suspended, there is much to celebrate; but we would all like to see this black cloud which has been hanging over Montgomeryshire for many years to be lifted. We will have to wait a little while longer but I will continue to do all I can to frustrate the terrifying determination of the Welsh Government, National Grid and a dwindling number of developers to trash our wondrous landscapes.
Kind regards,
Russell