Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Llanfynydd wind turbine would be blot on landscape, say residents
Credit: Owen Evans | 08 November 2013 | www.newsnorthwales.co.uk ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
A petition has been launched against plans for a 77m-tall wind turbine.
Residents living in Llanfynydd are opposing the application for a single turbine, which they say would be an “eye-sore”.
Those behind the plans say it would generate renewable energy for years to come and the scheme includes a community benefit package.
But Greg Holloway, who lives close to the planned site at Mount Farm, said residents had not been consulted enough on the plans and they were now “playing catch up” in expressing their opposition.
Mr Holloway, a delivery driver, said: “There’s quite a large area that is going to be affected by this.
“They’re trying to push it through without telling people about it.
“It’s going to go to the planning committee and we’re playing catch-up now.”
Mr Holloway said many residents only found out about the plans after a public consultation was held on Friday, October 18 once the plans had been submitted.
In planning documents submitted to Flintshire Council, it was stated that residents living close to the site were not consulted before the plans were lodged.
Mr Holloway added: “If they are across the top, it’s going to be an eye sore.
“We know we have got about 50 names. We’re desperate to make a point on this.”
Llanfynydd’s Cllr Hilary Isherwood has also expressed her opposition to the plans, which were submitted by Nant y Ffrith Wind Energy Ltd, a subsidary of Mold-based West Coast Energy.
She said: “It’s in one of the most beautiful places. It will stick out like an absolutely sore thumb.
“I know they’re passionate about what they do but they don’t live there and there are people whose lives are going to be affected by this through having to see this and having to put up with it.”
She agreed that many people had told her they had not heard of the plans until a public consultation organised by the community council – but said this was a general problem with the planning process.
Steve Salt, planning and public affairs director at West Coast Energy, defended the plan for the turbine, which would generate renewable energy for at least 25 years.
As part of the plan, they would commit to an up-front sum of £10,000 for fuel poverty alleviation initiatives within Flintshire.
The scheme includes a community benefit package allowing organisations and the community to benefit from the generation of local renewable energy and amounts to an up-front sum of £30,000 which company bosses say would represent significant income for the local and wider area.
Some of the funds would also be used to support Clwyd Theatr Cymru.
Mr Salt said: “I don’t know how much this concern is reflected against the majority of people living in the area.
“It’s an important project for us and we want to invest in Flintshire to create renewable energy.
“We accept there are some concerns but the council has to balance the concerns with benefits.”
He added that he “could only apologise” if people felt they had not been told about the plans at an earlier stage.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Contributions |
(via Stripe) |
(via Paypal) |
Share: