Betty Williams MP for Conwy said, “I have called for a Public Enquiry into this proposal right from the beginning and I will ensure that the Minister, Malcolm Wicks gives this document the attention it deserves.”

 

Later Rhos-on Sea residents and Janet Haworth from SOS met with David Jones MP for Clwyd West in Colwyn Bay. Dave Fletcher and Peter Roberts from Rhos-on Sea thanked David Jones for his ongoing support against the Rhyl Flats and Gwynt-y-Mor wind farm proposals which threaten to blight the lives of residents that live along the coast. Dave and Peter have been working closely with David Jones over the last two years. They congratulated David Jones on the stand he took to ensure that the ill-conceived Rhyl Flats wind farm was brought before a Select Committee of the House of Commons.

David Jones MP said of the 50 page dossier of objections, “This is an impressive piece of work. I shall be writing to the Minister giving my full support to this report which SOS has produced.”

Although the closing date for objections set by the German power company Npower has now passed people can still write to the Minister, Malcolm Wicks, with their objections to the proposed industrialisation of our heritage coastline. The address to write or email to is Minister of State for Energy, C/o Offshore-renewables Consent unit, 1, Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET

12th October 2007

Today, Jane Davidson, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing
turned down a request from members of Cynghrair Hiraethog Alliance (CHA) for
a meeting to discuss its concerns about massive proposals for windfarm
development across Wales.

CHA is accusing the Minister of Double Standards. “It seems the Minister is
very happy to meet with representatives from the windfarm industry such as
the British Wind Energy Association, and those with a vested interest in
promoting windfarms, but she will not meet with the ordinary people whose
lives and homes will be so drastically affected by windfarm development with
issues such as; loss of water supplies; noise; no compensation; difficulty
of selling property; impact on tourism and business interests; and light
pollution”.

In addition, information now coming to light about Welsh Assembly
Government’s wind turbine policy (TAN8) raises significant issues relating
to conflict of interest, public standards of governance and democratic
procedures.

These include: companies which have helped develop WAG policy are now
benefiting from it; the results of the public consultation on TAN8 have been
suppressed; undemocratic pressure has been placed on LA planning
departments to approve windfarm applications; developers are in effect being
allowed to write their own planning briefs; Forestry Commission policy has
been changed from forestry to turbines, by WAG diktat.

“We are absolutely staggered,’ said Michael Williams, Secretary of CHA.
“We first wrote to the Minister in July and have been chasing ever since.
Today, we finally heard that she would not meet with us.’

“We believe it is time for the Welsh Assembly Government to call a halt to
any further windfarm developments in Wales. It is time we looked at
developing effective sources of renewable energy that will not impact so
negatively on the people and the landscapes of Wales. We call upon the
Minister to meet with us and to listen to our concerns.”

— – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — –
CYNGHRAIR HIRAETHOG ALLIANCE
An Alliance of the Ramblers’ Association, CPRW Branches, PACT, CLOUT and
DART — PROTECTING THE LANDSCAPES OF THE HIRAETHOG AREA, NORTH WALES.

Michael Williams
Secretary CHA
&
Judy Welford

25.9.07

The turbines would need to be 18 miles offshore to mitigate the visual blight. The technology exists to place larger more efficient turbines up to 25 miles off shore in deep water. Scotland has already commenced these projects. There are also tidal and hydro options, which could be exploited without detriment to our valuable tourism industry, which supports 13,000 jobs in Conwy County Borough and generates an annual income in excess of £530 million.

The Save Our Scenery Action group (www.saveourscenery.com) is meeting with action groups along the North Wales coast and the Wirral to resist this latest incursion by Npower part of the RWE group.

“Enough is enough!” said Janet Haworth secretary of the Llandudno and Rhos-on-Sea based action group. “We already have Burbo Bank and North Hoyle and another 30 scheduled for off Rhos-on-Sea. Wales is being used as a dumping ground for wind turbines. S.O.S. is calling upon our Welsh Assembly members and our MPs to put a stop to this industrialisation of our land and sea scapes now.”

Janet went on to emphasise that Llandudno has welcomed visitors from the Wirral and the hard working towns and cities of the North of England for 150 years.

“We share this special place with our welcome visitors. If you love Llandudno help S.O.S. to save it by writing to The Secretary for BERR, C/O Off-shore Renewables Consent Unit, Bay 2117, 1 Victoria Street London SW1H OET, before the 20th September. You can contact S.O.S. on www.saveourscenery.com.”

FROM JANET HAWORTH Secretary of Save Our Scenery Action Group
ADDRESS 14 Abbey Rd Llandudno LL30 2EA Tel: 01492-878042
Email: janet@abbeylodgeuk.com

On Sunday, July 8th, Professor David Bellamy, accompanied by the wilderness artist David Bellamy and Christine Lovelock, artist and daughter of scientist James Lovelock, headed a demonstration of over 150 people. Groups from across Wales united in Mid Wales to express their opposition to the threat of such gross, unnecessary and highly subsidised destruction of our rural heritage. Christine Lovelock (www.artistsagainstwindfarms.com) travelled from Devon to show support from England and there were four supporters from Scotland. Several demonstrators, including Professor Bellamy, wore t-shirts displaying “WINDFARMS DON’T HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. THEY KILL IT. STOP THE WINDSCAM NOW”.

The latest statistics available from the government regulator, Ofgem, show about 450 operating onshore wind turbines in Wales. Their total average output of intermittent electricity would need to be trebled merely to match the demand from the Anglesey Aluminium factory. It cannot replace the controllable, secure supply of electricity the factory needs in order to operate.

As David Howell and Dr Carole Nakhle recently wrote in their co-authoured book Out of the Energy Labyrinth, “… enthusiasts (and lobbyists enriched by subsidies) who have rushed into extensive wind farm developments will be seen in due course to have taken public opinion for a colossal ride …”.

Good planning is about balance. The irreparable ecological damage, loss of amenity and distressing divisions within communities caused by industrial wind turbines far outweigh any benefit of their insignificant and unreliable contribution to our energy needs. Their tiny, intermittent output of electricity and negligible CO2 savings cannot possibly justify the sacrifice of our most potent national symbol and finite resource — the magnificent landscapes of Wales and the United Kingdom.

Angela Kelly
Chairman, Country Guardian

Penlan
Llandeilo Graban
Builth Wells
Powys
LD2 3YX

Tel: 01982 560227

www.countryguardian.net

10 July 2007

Photo (courtesy Mike Pritchard): Left to right: Professor David Bellamy (in yellow jacket), Christine Lovelock, David Bellamy (wilderness artist and President of Powys Ramblers). See more photos of the demonstration on: www.artistsagainstwindfarms.com