Transporting massive wind farm equipment to villages near Oswestry will bring chaos to the area with roads closed, motorists caught up in convoys and police escorts needed, residents have been told.

People were told of the measures, at a public meeting arranged by their parish council.

The residents of Llanymynech, Pant and the surrounding areas were told lay-bys will also be needed when the massive transporters, travelling at just 20mph, are used to bring the turbine parts down the A483 from Ellesmere Port to proposed wind farms in Mid Wales.

Concerns that the proposals will cause road chaos through Pant and Llanymynech sparked the parish council which represents the two villages to stage last night’s meeting at Pant Institute.

More than 50 people heard from Welshpool town clerk Robert Robinson, who has been investigating what effect the convoys would have on the area, and Paul Vernon, from West Coast Energy, which wants to build a wind farm near Carno.

Parish council chairman Dilys Gaskill said people at the meeting had been surprised at the complex logistics involved in organising the convoys.

The huge convoys of equipment to create the wind turbines could start rolling through the villages as early as next year.

She said: “Mr Vernon said his company, which is just one of several companies which have applied to build wind farms in Mid Wales, have been working on their bid for more than two years.

“They have looked carefully at how they can manage these huge convoys.

“He said the convoys can only travel at 20mph so they will need a police escort.”

She added: “It is clear this will cause massive disruption. For example they said the A483 from Llynclys to Four Crosses would have to close for 10 minutes to let the convoys through. We would have these closures all the way down the A483.”

Mrs Gaskill said the parish council would discuss the issue at its May meeting.

By Iain St John