April 21, 2012
Wales

Park management oppose wind farm

South Wales Argus, www.southwalesargus.co.uk 21 April 2012

Members of a Tredegar park’s management committee are opposing plans for a wind farm nearby saying it will have a negative visual impact on the site.

Bryn Bach Park committee chairman Cllr Jason Owen described the park as “the jewel in Blaenau Gwent’s crown” and said three turbines overlooking it could potentially put people off going there.

The park attracts a large portion of the 689,500 tourists who visit Blaenau Gwent a year and millions have been spent over the last few years on a golf course, BMX track, cycling route and pedalos on the lake.

Cllr Owen added: “It’s a huge attraction that we’re looking to develop further. It’s early days for the turbine plans, but we’re worried about the visual impact.”

At a recent management committee meeting, members voiced concerns over pylons and masts that could go with the turbines.

REG Windpower plans to monitor wind speed at a site around one mile away from Bryn Bach Park for two years with a temporary 50-metre high mast on land at Pen Bryn Oer, straddling the Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent border.

It will then look to install three 110-metre high turbines there, which could potentially power 2,300 homes.

While the committee are against these plans, Cllr Owen said a proposed race track at nearby Rassau, Ebbw Vale, would have “fantastc benefits” for Bryn Bach Park.

While no plans have yet been submitted to Blaenau Gwent council, Cllr Owen said proposals include a 200-bed hotel at Bryn Bach Park.

Cllr Owen said that while it is “very early days in the process”, this forms part of the first phase of plans and the hotel could potentially be completed as early as 2015.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/04/21/park-management-oppose-wind-farm/