July 30, 2011
Wales

Holiday parks join wind farm protests

NewsWales, www.newswales.co.uk 29 July 2011

A group representing holiday parks in Mid Wales has joined the fight to oppose the“industrialisation” of the countryside with the development of windfarms, pylons,overhead cables and substations.

The Mid Wales branch of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH and HPA),has pledged to write to the UK and Welsh Governments opposing controversial proposals to cover the uplands of Montgomeryshire with up to 600 more wind turbines.The turbines would be linked to the National Grid in Shropshire via a 19-acre substation either near Abermule or Cefn Coch and high-powered cables carried on 26metre and 46 metre pylons.

National Grid has said that some of the cables may be buried underground.Thousands of protesters, Shropshire and Mid Wales MPs and Powys and Shropshire County Councils have called on the Welsh Government to immediately review its Tan 8 policy, which identifies Montgomeryshire as a prime location for windfarms.

BH & HPA’s director in Mid Wales, Richard Rhodes, of Dolguog Hotel, Machynlleth, stressed that the association’s Mid Wales members were not against alternative energy production but were opposed to intensive development in a rural area that would have a major impact on tourism.

“As an Association we encourage green development but what is proposed for Montgomeryshire isn’t green,” he said. “It’s the industrialisation of a rural areain the same way that South Wales was industrialised with steel works and coal mines.

“Tourism is the main industry of Montgomeryshire and people come here for the beauty of the area. Visitors have told me that they think a few wind turbines are quite pretty but they don’t want to see them on every hill.

“What is proposed will wreck our countryside without any benefit to Montgomeryshire.It is just the same as when reservoirs were built at Lake Vyrnwy, Elan Valley andTryweryn to supply water to English cities.”

He fears the controversial proposals will have a massive impact on tourism in Mid Wales, a rural area renowned for its outstanding natural beauty. Money spent byt ourists makes a major contribution to the area’s prosperity.

“It’s amazing how many people still don’t understand the full implications of whatis proposed,” he added.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/07/30/holiday-parks-join-wind-farm-protests/