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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Poor roads delay wind farm plans | Poor roads delay wind farm plans |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Planning applications for wind farms in Powys have been put on hold amid concerns about the county's "inadequate" road network. | Planning applications for wind farms in Powys have been put on hold amid concerns about the county's "inadequate" road network. |
| Many new onshore projects are planned in the area, including proposals to turn one of the UK's largest windfarms into the tallest at Llandinam. | |
| But Powys council said transporting the turbines to upland areas would be problematic due to poor road networks. | But Powys council said transporting the turbines to upland areas would be problematic due to poor road networks. |
| The Welsh Assembly Government has been asked to comment. | The Welsh Assembly Government has been asked to comment. |
| The assembly government expects 10% of electricity generated in Wales to come from renewable sources by 2010. | The assembly government expects 10% of electricity generated in Wales to come from renewable sources by 2010. |
| Three years ago it identified seven areas across Wales for the development of wind farms. | Three years ago it identified seven areas across Wales for the development of wind farms. |
| You have a situation where you have one part of the government objecting to the policy of another one - it's ridiculous Councillor Wynne Jones | You have a situation where you have one part of the government objecting to the policy of another one - it's ridiculous Councillor Wynne Jones |
| There are currently 26 in Wales with 482 onshore turbines and 30 off-shore. | |
| In Powys, nine planning applications for 190 new turbines have been submitted with the council in recent months. | In Powys, nine planning applications for 190 new turbines have been submitted with the council in recent months. |
| But councillor Wynne Jones, who has responsibility for regeneration and development, said the council had decided to put all current and expected wind power applications on hold. | |
| He said assembly ministers had put in place a planning policy for wind farm developments in mid Wales while appearing to remain "blissfully unaware" of the physical constraints of building them. | He said assembly ministers had put in place a planning policy for wind farm developments in mid Wales while appearing to remain "blissfully unaware" of the physical constraints of building them. |
| He added that he understood the assembly government's own trunk road department had expressed similar concerns. | He added that he understood the assembly government's own trunk road department had expressed similar concerns. |
| Mr Jones explained: "You have a situation where you have one part of the government objecting to the policy of another one - it's ridiculous. | Mr Jones explained: "You have a situation where you have one part of the government objecting to the policy of another one - it's ridiculous. |
| 'Sensible decision' | 'Sensible decision' |
| "Unless there are major improvements to the roads where the construction traffic would have to travel, then we would have no choice but to recommend refusal of these developments." | "Unless there are major improvements to the roads where the construction traffic would have to travel, then we would have no choice but to recommend refusal of these developments." |
| He said the improvements would have to be funded by the assembly government. | He said the improvements would have to be funded by the assembly government. |
| Haf Elgar of Friends of the Earth Cymru called on ministers to "intervene and to discuss with them how we can overcome this as soon as possible". | Haf Elgar of Friends of the Earth Cymru called on ministers to "intervene and to discuss with them how we can overcome this as soon as possible". |
| Meanwhile, Conservative assembly group leader and Mid and West Wales AM Nick Bourne, said: "This is a very welcome, sensible decision. | |
| "It takes into account local factors which have a direct bearing on major projects such as those proposed or likely to be put forward in future. Labour has demonstrated a blinkered approach to renewable energy for far too long." | "It takes into account local factors which have a direct bearing on major projects such as those proposed or likely to be put forward in future. Labour has demonstrated a blinkered approach to renewable energy for far too long." |
| One of the more significant wind farm plans in Powys centres on the redevelopment of one of the largest in the UK in Llandinam, near Newtown. | One of the more significant wind farm plans in Powys centres on the redevelopment of one of the largest in the UK in Llandinam, near Newtown. |
| Plans are to turn it into one of the UK's tallest onshore sites. | Plans are to turn it into one of the UK's tallest onshore sites. |
| The companies behind the scheme want to replace 103, 45m (149ft) tall turbines with 42, 122m (400ft) machines. | The companies behind the scheme want to replace 103, 45m (149ft) tall turbines with 42, 122m (400ft) machines. |
| They said the redevelopment would treble the output of "clean, green energy" at the mid Wales site. | They said the redevelopment would treble the output of "clean, green energy" at the mid Wales site. |