Blaen Bowi Wind Farm expansion refused by planning committee
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The Planning Committee of Carmarthenshire County council have followed the recommendation of their planning department and refused planning permission for a further 3 wind turbines on the 1000ft Moelfra Hill site, two and a half miles south of Newcastle Emlyn.
At their meeting on Thursday 28th September 2007 councillors rejected the planning application by 11 votes to 7, despite strong support for the project from the local Cenarth Community Council and local County Councillors Haydn Jones and John Crossley.
Download the Planning Recommendation as a PDF
Members of the Blaen Bowi Action Group were delighted by the decision, and vowed to continue their campaign in the expectation that the planning applicants would appeal to the National Assembly for Wales.
Download a leaflet summarizing the objectors’ arguments. (PDF Format)
September 24th - Planners recommend refusal of more Blaen Bowi wind turbines
Carmarthenshire County Council Planning Department have recommended that planning permission for a further 3 turbines at Moelfre Hill, known as “Blaen Bowi Wind Farm” outside Newcastle Emlyn be refused.
The final decision will be taken by the 22 member Planning Committee at their meeting on Thursday 27th September 2007 at 10.30am.
The reason for recommending refusal is that the development would, they believe, be contrary to Carmarthenshire’s own policy on wind turbines.
Below is the concluding section of the planning document which can be Downloaded here (Acrobat format).
7.0 Amended Recommendation
7.1 That planning permission is refused, on the following grounds.
RECOMMENDATION - REFUSAL
REASONS
1 The development, if approved would be contrary to Policy UT6 ‘Wind Energy’ of the Carmarthenshire Unitary Development Plan:-
UT6 - WIND ENERGY
‘IT IS THE POLICY OF CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL THAT PROPOSALS FOR WIND TURBINES, WIND FARMS OR GROUPS OF WIND TURBINES WILL BE PERMITTED PROVIDED THAT THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE MET IN FULL:
(i) PROPOSALS EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR CUMULATIVELY WOULD NOT CAUSE DEMONSTRABLE HARM BY VIRTUE OF HAVING A SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT, OR TO SITES OF NATURE CONSERVATION, HISTORICAL OR ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE, AGRICULTURAL VALUE, AREAS DESIGNATED FOR THEIR LANDSCAPE VALUE, OR TO SPECIES OF NATURE CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGICAL VALUE;
(ii) THE SITING, DESIGN, LAYOUT AND MATERIALS USED SHOULD BE SYMPATHETIC TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAND-FORM, CONTOURS AND EXISTING FEATURES OF THE LANDSCAPE;
(iii) PROPOSALS DO NOT GIVE RISE TO PROBLEMS OF HIGHWAY SAFETY OR PLACE UNACCEPTABLE DEMANDS ON THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC SERVICES;
(iv) ANCILLARY WORKS, BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM AND SITED UNOBTRUSIVELY WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE;
(v) PROPOSALS SHOULD NOT LEAD TO A SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE INCREASE IN RISK OR NUISANCE TO, AND IMPACTS ON THE AMENITIES OF, NEARBY RESIDENTS OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARISING FROM WIND TURBINE OPERATION, SHADOW, FLICKER, SAFETY RISK, RADIO OR TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERFERENCE;
(vi) NO TURBINE SHOULD CAUSE DEMONSTRABLE HARM TO THE AMENITY OF ANY RESIDENTS;
(vii) NEW CONNECTIONS TO THE LOCAL ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION NETWORK SHOULD ACCORD WITH POLICY UT2.’
In that the proposed development would have a significant adverse effect on the landscape on and around the proposed site, including part of the Teifi Valley Special Landscape Area, leading in particular to a cluttered appearance which would over-dominate the hill known as Moelfre.
2 The anticipated major wind farm development in the Brechfa Forest Area would be readily visible from the Moelfre area and the cumulative impact of these two developments on landscape is considered undesirable.
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