Windfarms in Powys are just impossible
All windfarm planning applications for Powys will be refused because of an inadequate road network, says Powys County Council’s board member in charge of planning.
Currently Mid Wales is the focus of a number of windfarm applications, which could total as many as 19 by the end of the year.
However Councillor Wynne Jones, Powys County Council’s portfolio holder with responsibility for regeneration and development, has confirmed that without multi million pound investment in Mid Wales road network there will be no way to transport the necessary components to build the proposed windfarms.
He said: “We, as a planning authority, have stopped work on all windfarm planning applications. We have developers pressing us for a decision and we will recommend it for refusal. An answer to this problem has to be found at ministerial level.”
Cllr Jones said Traffic Impact Assessments carried out have revealed that Mid Wales’ roads are not capable of handling the amount of traffic needed to transport the components required for the next generation of considerably larger turbines.
He said: “It will be nigh on impossible for our road network to cope with it. These windmills are so big that we will need the entire carriageway to transport them. It would take about six years to get all of it done.”
For the full story, see this week’s County Times.
By Dominic Robertson
8 August 2008
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Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
