Minister meets with industry, refuses citizens

Source: Cynghrair Hiraethog Alliance | Impacts, Press releases, Wales

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MINISTER ACCUSED OF DOUBLE STANDARDS

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