August 21, 2013
Wales

Landowner U-turn ends turbine bid

By Guto Llewelyn | Carmarthen Journal | August 21, 2013 | www.thisissouthwales.co.uk

Plans to build a controversial wind turbine near Cardigan have been dropped after a landowner pulled out of the project.

Huw Jones from Ferwig has told Awel Deg that he is no longer willing to have the turbine built in one of his fields following opposition from the local community.

Mr Jones stood to gain £42,000 a year from having the 67 metre turbine on his land, but last week he informed Awel Deg he was no longer able to go ahead with the development.

In a public meeting on August 5, Colin Osbourne, who has been a vocal critic of the project, urged people not to direct their anger at Mr Jones.

In a statement Awel Deg said: “As a group Awel Deg/Cardigan Fair Wind are naturally disappointed that a project that we believe would greatly benefit the people of Cardigan is not now proceeding.

“However we entirely understand Huw’s decision to withdraw in the light of the huge pressure he and his family has been under in recent weeks. We would also like to thank Huw for the amount of time and effort he personally has committed to developing this project.”

The announcement has been welcomed by many locals, including those associated with Cardigan Golf Club. The club claimed it stood to lose its Championship status as a result of the turbine being built.

Club secretary, Clive Day, said: “We are delighted. We have had so many people come in here today and thanking us for our help in opposing it.”

He added: “We are not against wind power or renewable energy. But we thought there were much better locations which would not be harmed as much by a turbine.”

Other local residents said a turbine at the renowned beauty spot would devalue houses, harm the area’s tourism industry and pose a risk to migratory birds.

Awel Deg say they will now look for other sites in the area which would be suitable for similar renewable energy projects.

The group has come under heavy criticism from many locals but Awel Deg insist they can develop a project which will create renewable energy and benefit the whole area.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/08/21/landowner-u-turn-ends-turbine-bid/