‘No apathy over wind farm fight’

Campaigners fighting plans to build new wind farms and a £60m connection project through Montgomeryshire say their fight is gathering momentum towards June’s public enquiry.

The defiant message from the ‘Alliance’ of local protest groups comes despite ScottishPower Energy Networks (SPEN) saying they only received 190 responses to their six-month consultation into the planned connection route.

After the announcement from National Grid in July 2012 regarding the location for their proposed substation in Cefn Coch, the energy giant started the process of speaking to local communities about their plans for the initial connections.

But while the 190 responses may seem light and a sign of apathy, one of the lead campaigners explained that local feeling is quite the opposite.

“There is definitely no apathy,” said Alliance spokesperson, Richard Bonfield. “But you have to consider the position people are faced with when SPEN seek to have responses to grid connections when 99% of Mid Wales residents are supporting the Alliance & Powys County Council in fighting to have no wind farms at all. So how do you respond to something we all hope will not happen?

“Almost 900 people have registered for June’s Public Enquiry for the five wind farms and one 132kV line, which is one of the largest ever responses to any Public Inquiry regarding wind farms and associated infrastructure.

“This is a classic ‘cart before the horse situation’ and one which the Alliance have challenged. So much information is unknown from the developers that to start an Inquiry and then allow, as the Inspector puts it, “for the applicants to submit on a rolling basis” during the inquiry is an affront to the many people who will be badly impacted should these horrendous proposals ever get approved.”

SPEN says it has engaged widely with communities in Mid Wales during its consultation for plans to connect proposed wind farms in the west to the National Grid in Shropshire via hundreds of pylons. They said feedback will be considered before formulating a more detailed line route.

Steven Edwards, Project Manager, said: “Once we have these proposals in place, we will again share this information with local communities and will seek further views on our plans.”

In the meantime, the Alliance continues to prepare for its summer fight and is inviting donations to fund the costly legal representation. To donate, contact Mr Bonfield at richard@rbonfield.com

Groups which currently make up the Alliance

Montgomeryshire Against Pylons and windfarms

Conservation of Upland Powys
STOP Windfarms and Pylons
Rhiwcynon Against Pylons
Abermule Action Group
Mochdre Action Group
Llansanffraid Action Group and Community Council
Shropshire North Against Pylons
Cambrian Mountains Society
The Rainbow Trails Project Dyfnant Forest Llangadfan
Trannon Residents Against Power Plans
Country Guardian
Llanymynech Action Group & Community Council
Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW)    
Rea Valley Against Pylons
Bwlch-Y-Cibau & Peniarth Residents against Windfarm ( and Pylon) Developments 

Mid Wales Arts Centre

Save Trannon Moor Action Group

Campaign for the Protection Rural England (CPRE) – Shropshire

Montgomeryshire Federation of Women’s Institutes