Celebrations as inquiry rejects windfarm plans
Councillors and residents were celebrating after plans to build a windfarm near Nantglyn were formally rejected after a seven week inquiry but the appellants said we are now in the hands of climate change.
Tegni Cymru Cyf, based in Corwen, appealed against the decision by Denbighshire County Council not to grant the application for 13 wind turbines at Gorsedd Bran near Nantglyn.
A week long public inquiry in Denbigh Town Hall began on October 5 and was met with fierce opposition from local residents.
Around 40 residents attended the first day of the inquiry with placards of protest but around four residents spoke in favour of the farm.
The Gorsedd Bran development was planned to be built near the operational Tir Mostyn and Foel Goch windfarm which has 25 turbines.
After the public hearing six weeks was earmarked for the planning inspector, Stuart Wild, to visit the homes of people who opposed the windfarm to gauge how it would affect their lives and AONB like Moel Famau to access the views.
Councillor Paul Marfleet and Cllr Jane Yorke said they felt positive it would be rejected.
The decision was announced last Friday and leader of Denbighshire County Council, Cllr Hugh Evans, said: “This is a victory for democracy. Both the planning committee and full council refused this application and at the appeal the council’s case was supported by well informed, factual evidence from residents.”
In a joint statement, Cllr Marfleet and Cllr Yorke added: “The faith and determination of a small group of very decent people has brought this victory about.”
Huw Smallwood director at Tegni Cymru Cyf said it was a very sad day for the company.
“Denbighshire County Council state the farm was stopped by a small group of people which says it all really, a major application and Government policy can be stopped,” he said.”If we don’t have renewable energy there is not much hope.
“Windfarms are always going to be near somebody.
“The drive to create a sustainable environment is virtually impossible and therefore we are in the hands of climate change now and we have got less than 10 years to do something to have a major impact, it is a sad day for the future.”
Inspector Stuart Wild said: “This proposal would have been in serious conflict with the appropriate UDP policy. The benefits of the provision of renewable energy would not outweigh the harm I identified.”
Mr Smallwood said he could not say if Tegni was going to appeal.
Published by: Adele Forrest
Denbighshire Free Press
www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk
27 November 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
Some possibly related stories:
The copyright of this article is owned by the author or publisher indicated. Its availability here constitutes a "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law as well as in similar "fair dealing" exceptions of the copyright laws of other nations, as part of National Wind Watch's effort to advance understanding of the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development. For more information, click here.
