April 16, 2008
Wales
Wales
THE coast of Rhyl could be lit up by spectacular illuminated windmills in an effort to bring more people to the town.
Mike Ralph of Modus Developments has outlined a plan to highlight a number of the windmills in the North Hoyle windfarm in an effort to get drivers on the A55 to notice the seaside resort.
The Manchester-based company is currently involved in converting the former Ocean Beach Funfair into a multi-million pound complex of more than 200 apartments, a hotel, pubs and retail outlets.
He says their investment will be of little use if people cannot be persuaded to visit the town.
“A lot of people come along the A55 and miss Rhyl, carrying on to their destinations,” said Mr Ralph. “But we’re looking at getting some of the smaller windmills lit up so that people don’t miss it.”
It is thought that the lights will be visible from as far afield as Llandudno and New Brighton as well as Rhyl, and there are mixed opinions on the proposal.
Prestatyn resident Nikki Short said: “We can see the windmills quite clearly from our house. They are pretty to look at.
“I think that it would be nice to look at them lit up. It would be a good idea.”
But Clwyd West AM Darren Millar thinks that lighting up the windmills would draw attention to what is already an unsightly blot on the landscape.
“I thought the idea was to make these as discreet as possible?” he said.
“There are some people who find wind turbines attractive, but I’m not one of them and I do feel that to light them up would be adding insult to injury to those people who objected to them in the first place.
“There must be consultations and it must not be allowed to happen without consulting local stakeholders.”
Nobody from npower renewables, which own the windmills, was available for comment.
by David Rutland, Rhyl Visitor
16 April 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/04/16/bid-to-illuminate-rhyls-wind-turbines/