‘Powys can spark Public Enquiry’

11/10/2011 @ 04:16

Powys County Council can be the catalyst for a public inquiry into the controversial TAN 8 document which has given the green light for mass wind farm development on the Montgomeryshire hills.

A letter, leaked to mywelshpool, from Charles Hendry, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, to Lord Hunt in the House of Lords, says that his department had not yet received a formal response from Powys which, he states, can spark a Public Enquiry should they object.

Montgomeryshire has been earmarked for mass windfarm development over the coming six years with up to 650 huge turbines currently in the planning process along with the massive infrastructure work required for relaying the power to the National Grid. It would ultimately result in countless 50-metre pylons and a 20-acre substation being plonked in previously untouched countryside.

The plans have been roundly criticised by the local population and it appears all eyes will now be on Powys County Council’s response to the planning applications.

The letter was in reply to the results from an extensive survey of Welshpool residents carried out by the town council which showed mass opposition and a call for a public inquiry. Those results were sent to Lord Hunt and eventually they reached the Minister’s desk.

In his reply, Mr Hendry wrote: “Powys County Council, the relevant planning authority, have not yet been able to submit a formal response to the Department on any of the applications made under S36 of the Electricity Act 1989 in Powys. As you are aware, should they object to any of the S36 applications, a Public Inquiry would be mandatory.

“Although I note from your survey results that many people in Welshpool would be in favour of a public inquiry, I do not consider that it would be appropriate for this Department to intervene in the ongoing consideration of the applications by Powys County Council and initiate a public inquiry.”

Last week it was revealed that ScottishPower, the company responsible for the substation and associated cabling and pylons, did not expect to reveal the location for their substation until February. Sites in Cefn Coch and Abermule are currently under consideration.