Plans for more windfarms

EHN UK Ltd want to construct temporary test masts at St Harmon and Pant-y-dwr near Rhayder and another at Llanbrynmair.

The masts will be 47 metres high and used over the next two years to test the sites suitability for generating energy from wind turbines.

Harvey West, managing director of EHN UK said: “There are several factors that we have to take account of in identifying potential sites for wind farm development.

“These include wind speeds, environmental considerations, ability to connect to the national electricity grid, as well as visual impact,”

He continued that the areas they have asked Powys County Council for planning permission for are, “sites in Wales identified as potentially suitable for wind power generation”.

The proposals though are likely to face stiff opposition from nearby residents, and those that feel wind power is not the way forward for the country’s production of electricity.

Dan Munford, who recently organised a petition against wind farms feels that the turbines would do more harm than good if allowed to go across the county.

“They would destroy our only growth industry – tourism. No one is going to come to the area to enjoy the spectacular countryside if there are wind turbines the size of Nelson’s Column everywhere, “ he added.

At Wednesday’s public meeting in Llanerfyl, Montgomeryshire AM, Mick Bates re-stated his opposition to the proliferation of wind farms in the county.

“Montgomeryshire already has more turbines than any other constituency in the United Kingdom – it’s hard to stand on a hill-top and not see any,” he said.

Opponents to the wind farms claimed the meeting was “one sided” and raised questions as to why there was no speaker against the turbines.