Calls for councillors on Powys Planning committee to decide weather mast application at potential wind farm site
Calls have been made that plans to erect a temporary 122.5-metre-high weather mast near Brecon, should be decided by councillors at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee
In November last year, Garreg Fawr Energy Park Limited lodged a planning application with Powys planners for a meteorological mast and ancillary structure for a five-year period at land south of Ffynnon Ffrydyll at Merthyr Cynog.
This site is 8.2 km (Kilometres) south west of Sennybridge and nine (9) km to the north west of Brecon.
The purpose of the weather mast would be to collect data and find out whether the site is conducive for a future wind-farm proposal.
Garreg Fawr Energy Park Limited is the development vehicle for Bute Energy for this project, and they want to eventually build 22 wind turbines with a maximum height of 220 metres at the site.
Merthyr Cynog community council discussed the application at an “extraordinary”meeting on December 16.
Merthyr Cynog council said: “Although the application relates to a temporary meteorological mast, the council considers it to be the first enabling stage of the wider Garreg Fawr wind development.
“Approval of this application would materially advance a much larger proposal, with potentially significant landscape, environmental, and community impacts, before those issues have been fully examined.”
The council said that a survey completed by the “majority of households” in the area indicates that 70 per cent of the residents are opposed to the Garreg Fawr project.
Merthyr Cynog council continued: “This represents a substantial and material level of community opposition which, warrants a higher level of scrutiny and democratic oversight.
“Given the strength of local feeling and the strategic importance of this application, Merthyr Cynog council believes that consideration by the (Powys council) Planning committee is both reasonable and necessary to maintain public confidence in the planning system.”
The area is represented at Powys County Council by councillor Iain McIntosh who has formally requested that the application is referred to the Planning committee for a decision
Cllr McIntosh (Reform UK – Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew) said: “Given the sensitivity of the location, the scale of associated strategic issues, and the substantial public interest, I believe the application should not be decided under delegated powers.”
Documents lodged to support the application said: “The temporary nature of the proposed development and its reversibility are important factors in determining the significance of effects.
“Following decommissioning, all landscape and visual effects would cease, and the landscape would revert to its original condition.
“The proposed development could be accommodated within the landscape without material adverse effects on landscape character or visual amenity.”
The papers add: “The meteorological mast would provide essential data to inform the assessment of wind resources for potential renewable energy generation, supporting national and local policy objectives for renewable energy development.”
Garreg Fawr Energy Park is at a very early stage and is classed as Development of National Significance (DNS).
This means it would be processed by Welsh Government planning inspectors at PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) who recommend a decision that would be announced by a Welsh Government cabinet secretary.
A decision on the application is expected by January 22.
