Oswestry energy park 'would mean 1,300 lorry trips'

Members of Oswestry Rural Parish Council have voiced their opposition to plans for a renewable energy park – to include a 101-metre high wind turbine and 2,500 solar panels – and say they can't support the access plans for the development.

They will discuss the application for the proposed Cefn y Maes Community Renewable Energy Park, on a site near Oswestry's Old Racecourse at Rhydycroesau, at a meeting next week.

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.

Councillor Robert Milton, chairman of Oswestry Rural Parish Council, said: "On access grounds, the council came to the decision that we cannot support it, especially with the figure thrown up for 1,300 HGVs travelling to and from the renewable energy park, and that doesn't include local contractors' vehicles.

"The vehicles will 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."

Councillor Milton said the meeting attracted "most members of the community" with the local feeling "strongly opposed" to the plans.

The developers behind the scheme, renewables firm Engena Limited, say the energy park will have a lifespan of 30 years and will produce enough energy to provide electricity for more than 550 homes.

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, said the plans could "scar the local landscape and community for many years to come".