Montgomeryshire is bracing itself for possibly its biggest public protest meeting on Wednesday as Powys County Council holds its planning meeting at Welshpool Livestock Market to hear the views on the area's planned windfarm and pylon plans.
Glyn Davies, Montgomeryshire's Conservative MP is encouraging people from throughout Mid Wales who are opposed to mass wind farm development to attend the meeting. It will be the first time that Powys County Council has held the planning meeting outside Llandrindod Wells' County Hall.
The session is being moved to give residents a chance to listen to a debate about Tan 8 - the Welsh Government's wind farm policy.
"I hope huge numbers of those who object to the 'industrialisation' of the Mid Wales uplands will attend the council meeting. Protesters have achieved a great success in persuading the Welsh Government to change its position on wind farms in mid Wales, but now is the time to ''build on our success" rather than "take our foot of the peddle,” he said.
"The strategy of the protesters has been triple-pronged, targeting the Welsh Government, Powys County Council and the Westminster coalition government. This meeting is the opportunity to emphasise to Powys councillors that we expect them not to be 'bullied' into taking hasty decisions, and to stand up for the interests of the people they represent."
He added: "After the meeting it will be the UK government which is the next target. Over the next month, protesters will need to develop a strategy to ensure that the Coalition Government realises how much opposition there is to the
'industrialisation' of the mid Wales uplands.
“I accept that I, as MP for Montgomeryshire have an important part to play, and have meetings arranged with National Grid, wind farm developers and the responsible Minister. To me it is inconceivable that a UK parliament could impose a horrible 400kW line into the heart of Montgomeryshire and up to 600 extra wind turbines against the collective will of the people of Wales."
"These horrendous proposals must be stopped, and next Wednesday's meeting is another staging post on the road to achieving this."
The meeting, which will start at 2pm, will be held in the offices at the livestock market with proceedings transmitted to the audience outside. Public parking will be available on site and the advice is to arrive early!