Environment and Sustainability Committee
Inquiry into Energy Policy and Planning in Wales

EPP 172 – Richard and Janice Bonfield

We are writing to express our total opposition to the current policies of the Welsh Government particularly in relation to TAN 8

This policy is flawed and was instigated 6 years ago without the detailed knowledge of the horrendous impact it would have on Wales and particularly the area where I live in Mid Wales

The reasons being :-

Turbines

Visual impact with total disregard for the landscape with Turbine proposed of 600ft

eg proposal to build 64 Turbines on Plynlimon where the land concerned is rated Outstanding by the Countryside Council for Wales

This is equivalent to National Park status and if allowed to go ahead with destroy one of Uk's most beautiful wilderness's

Huge swathes of forest to be cut down and replaced by concrete for roads and turbine bases.

On the hills massive flash flooding issues with the huge loss of peat being dug up for tonnes of concrete -

Peat is a massive locker of CO2 and its removal will be gone for ever .

No recent study taken on noise - last study was taken 14 years ago - Turbines proposed are now 3 /4 higher than those at that time

Noise is a big factor with those that live in the locality of Windfarms

Transport issues

No mention in Tan 8 of transport issues. With the new large turbines will cause horrendous traffic problems /delays of a 5/7 year period completely blighting the lives of everyone in the area.

Structural damage to roads and ripping of hedgerows - many over centuries old to make way for widening on roads

The impact on emergency services has not been considered by TAN 8

Pylons

We strongly object to the divisive National grid consultation re a hub and subsequent 400Kv pylons, This was not a consultation as clearly they were unable to satisfy thousands of people in Mid Wales as to why they choose two sites for the potential hub.   Not only will be the 19 acre hub be a huge blight on the landscape but the devastating impact on the community concerned.  These proposals need throwing out.

If all the areas concerned are allowed to go ahead with wind farms it will in addition result in over 100 miles of new pylons which again will be blighting the countryside.   

Tourism & Industry

The impact of the traffic issues /delays over 5/7 years will also cause economic problems with our businesses which rely on "just in time deliveries"  

Mid Wales with its unrivalled beauty will lose a significant of Tourism with currently 6,500 employed in this sector alone. Many jobs will be lost

Already Caravan parks are seeing loss of business as the uncertainty of Turbines/ Pylons caused a number of potential buyers this summer to pull out.

Conclusion

We ask the Environment and Sustainability Committee to now call for an immediate halt of windfram applications and a full review of Tan 8 taking into account the above issues which we have listed.

Richard & Janice Bonfield