Shropshire Star

Oswestry energy park scheme is ludicrous, say critics

Plans for an energy park just off an historic drovers' road have been described as ludicrous by residents.

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Renewables firm Engena wants to create the complex, which would include a 101-metre wind turbine and 2,500 solar panels, on a site near Oswestry's Old Racecourse at Rhydycroesau.

Dozens of people attended two meetings of Oswestry Rural Parish Council this week to voice their objections to the scheme.

Parish councillors agreed to call for the application to be thrown out.

The plans for the Cefn y Maes Community Renewable Energy Scheme cover land on the English and Welsh border.

The application for the energy park will also be looked at by Powys County Council, while the supporting access and electricity infrastructure applications will go before Shropshire Council for consideration.

Engena said the energy park will have a lifespan of 30 years and will produce enough electricity for more than 550 homes.

Chairman of the parish council, Councillor Robert Milton, said that 30 to 40 residents turned out to object to the plans.

"Their main concern is over access, however there are a raft of objections," he said.

He said it was expected that more than 1,300 heavy goods vehicles would travel to and from the energy park during its construction.

"That figure does not include the contractors' vehicles. It is ludicrous to think that what is an historic, long distance drovers' road could cope with the traffic. We are very supportive of renewable energy but this is in completely the wrong place."

Mr Milton said concerns were also expressed about the effect of the development on tourism in the area, with the site close to public footpaths including Offa's Dyke and the Glyndwr Way.

He said: "There are also worries about the wildlife, the birds and also the landscape. The site is just 500 yards from a specially designated zone of special landscape importance.

"The energy park would have an extremely dramatic effect on local tourism, as well as the landscape and infrastructure.

"There are particular fears about the infrastructure because the roads aren't designed to be able to cope with the type and scale of the vehicles that could be travelling back-and-to on the roads. It will cause a lot of damage to the infrastructure."

Last month Miles Hunter, the owner of the Pen-y-Dyffryn Hotel in Rhydycroesau and the founder of local campaign group, Community Against Rhydycroesau Turbine and EnergyPark (Carte), said the proposals could "scar the local landscape and community for many years to come".

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