March 11, 2015
Wales

Pontarddulais residents’ anger at work on wind farm

Liz Perkins | South Wales Evening Post | March 11, 2015 | www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk

Furious residents claim contractors connected to a controversial wind farm have blocked them from leaving their homes as they drilled bore holes for the project.

They allege the work has been carried out in Pontarddulais without any notification or warning that heavy vehicles would be travelling through the village.

The Mynydd y Gwair scheme could see 16 new turbines sited under the scheme by RWE Innogy UK Ltd.

People living on Bolgoed Road revealed the first they discovered about the preparatory works for scheme was on Monday morning.

Councillor Pam Waterhouse, who is on Pontarddulais Town Council, said her neighbours were up in arms at the disruption.

Mrs Waterhouse said: “There was mud outside our houses and they have been drilling bore holes to see where the rock is.

“The contractors have been parked outside our houses on Bolgoed Road and we had to tell them to move as they were parked outside our drive and garages.

“They had heavy vehicles, which went through the village and we were assured that they would not come through the village.

“They said the work could only take a day but we don’t understand how they can do it, when they do not know if they have the permission or not for the wind farm, without informing people.”

A RWE spokesman said: “We’re just completing two days of site investigation works near Bolgoed Road, Pontarddulais as required by our planning permission.

“These are among a range of ongoing surveys related to the proposed wind farm and, on this occasion, investigated ground conditions to help inform our final drainage design.”

He added that the workers are expected to finish by the end of the week.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/03/11/pontarddulais-residents-anger-at-work-on-wind-farm/