July 11, 2013
Wales

Wind turbine proposal meets opposition

Cambrian News | 10th July 2013 | www.cambrian-news.co.uk

An ambitious seven-figure co-operative wind turbine project near Cardigan has been panned by some local residents concerned that the “natural, historic and cultural environment” would be “scarred” by the proposals.

The Awel Deg/Fair Wind co-operative is proposing to erect a 500kw, 67metre-high turbine on land at Ferwig to provide electricity for around 300 local homes and to create income to fund other sustainable energy projects. But Ferwig resident Eleri Williams, said that the scheme had “already caused divisions in the community”. “The location of this turbine is of grave concern to all of us who live here,” she said.

“Cardigan is truly blessed with a priceless asset in the form of the Teifi estuary and its surrounding countryside. “It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty; rare, tranquil, unspoiled which has taken many thousands of years to form. “It is also home to rare, precious and protected wildlife including the red kite and bats. “Why would anyone want to scar this landscape and destroy the rich natural, historic and cultural environment?

“Investing in the community and helping the local economy is a really good idea and if renewable energy schemes can do this for Cardigan, I would wholeheartedly support and invest in such developments if they were appropriate and in locations where damage is minimal. But Ferwig is not that location.”

Awel Deg, which has close links with 4CG, Cardigan’s community enterprise company which bought the Pwllhai centre, former police station and old courthouse for community use, plans to raise the £1.25 million needed for the project via a share issue similar to the scheme used by 4CG.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/11/wind-turbine-proposal-meets-opposition/