Why are wind developments being met with closed doors?

Philippa Parry

13 May 2013

A few weeks ago I met Paul Kent, Chair of the community energy project Bedlinog Wind, in South Wales.

As we sat and flicked through artists' impressions of what the three turbine wind development would look like, what I consistently noticed was how well-suited the site is. A bowl shape in the land near the village of Bedlinog in the Taff Bargoed Valley funnels the south-westerly wind, creating the perfect site to harness its clean energy via wind turbines.

From a distance only the tips of the blades would be visible, so a relatively small proportion of the local population would actually have a view of it. In my eyes it is the perfect size and place.

Yet, despite the scheme having both financial backing from Tegni, the developers who paid for the initial reports, and support from the local community, the scheme has been met with closed doors and circular arguments at a planning level.

Much of these revolve around the visual impact - even though this scheme is about as small as you can go, I have been told, if it is to be commercially viable. In terms of visual impact it is a remarkably small scheme, something which Bedlinog Wind has been trying to point out to the local authority.

Not only would the scheme be contributing to the UK Government's target of sourcing 15% of our energy from renewable sources by 2020, but part of the profits will go into the community. There have been hundreds of letters of support written for the planning application.

So why is the scheme being met with closed doors?

Paul mentions that the Welsh Government is assigning some areas for mass development, outside of which nothing would be accepted, and that the local authority is very timid and unwilling to take risks.

He is also the Chair for another community energy project, the Taff Bargoed hydro project. "In regards to the hydro scheme", he says, "the Government has been incredibly supportive, but there is not the same attitude to wind."

I was left pondering the visual impacts of smaller developments compared to larger turbines, given the increased spread of areas where they would be found. Are 50 small turbines more visually intrusive that one large park? I don't know, but it seems, that's the way planning policy is pushing us.

More on community renewable energy projects in the UK can be found on our Map of Green Britain.

Philippa Parry is a former volunteer on Friends of the Earth's Clean British Energy campaign.