July 12, 2007
Letters, Wales

Empty rhetoric

The Glyncorrwg correspondent last week suggested the Welsh Assembly change the rules so that noisy wind turbines be a minimum of 2km from dwellings, the distance supported by the Scottish Parliament (and other EU countries).

Unfortunately the Welsh Assembly has no minimum distance.

In May 2007, Environment Ministers appointed a planning inspector who over-ruled Denbighshire council’s democratic rejection of a wind farm development at Wern Du and approved installation of a wind farm less than 500m from a dwelling, ignoring the problems posed by noise related Vibro Acoustic Disease, flicker and radio/TV reception interference.

Glyncorrwg and other valley communities missed their chance to influence the WAG wind farm policy at the recent elections, and will now have to find other means of preventing the despoliation of environmental heritage.

The One Wales accord between Plaid and Labour includes a review of the TAN 8 wind farm policy and that new Environment Minister Jane Davidson is currently working on an Energy Route Map which we believe will be akin to proposing an eight-lane motorway through the beautiful Welsh landscape.

In the Assembly on 13 June 2007, concerning wind farms, she said: ‘’It is important local communities are involved.’’ Glyncorrwg may feel this is the empty rhetoric she pledged to avoid.

David Edwards

South Wales Alternative To Turbines (SWATT)

icwales

12 July 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/07/12/empty-rhetoric/