MP’s caution over windfarm veto

 

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said this week that “the wind we need” in Britain is already being built, developed or in planning and that the Government should veto major new applications.

 

And while his comments have been welcomed locally, MP Glyn Davies has warned that the applications currently under consideration in Montgomeryshire are not covered by the possible u-turn in policy.

 

Mr Davies warned: “I despair that some Mid Wales protesters are swallowing this line about Government Ministers vetoing wind farms. It is way too early. It is time to raise the ante.

 

“The letter signed and published by over 100 Coalition MPs, which I was involved in preparing, has had a major impact. Suddenly, Ministers have realised that the public have sussed out the sheer uselessness of onshore wind farms.

 

“However it would be a great mistake to think these announcements are the end of our battles in Mid Wales - or even the beginning of the end of our battles. All Ministers are saying is that if all the existing, approved and planned wind farms go ahead, the Coalition targets would be met. They told me that weeks ago. Unfortunately for Mid Wales, the Mid Wales Connection Project is in these plans. It would be a huge mistake for us to think these reports lessen the challenge before us. What we should do now is recognise the weakening of momentum towards wind farms and really jack up our opposition. 

 

“My personal opinion is that we should now turn our fire on National Grid, an international giant which thinks it can avoid controversy by delaying an announcement about its preferred 400kv line until after the local council elections. National grid thinks it can trample over whoever it likes. National Grid may have a programme of consultation, but not programmed to listen. We must make enough noise to make certain they hear us." 

 

Assembly Member Russell George met with Mr Barker last month to discuss the concerns over projects that protesters claim will “industrialise” Montgomeryshire.

 

Three giant wind farms have already been recommended for refusal by Powys County Council in the past month, but due to their size and power outage, the final decision rests with central Government so they could still go ahead along with up to eight others in the pipeline.