Welsh Assembly's windfarm plans 'are flawed'

A Mid Wales environmental campaigner has criticised the Welsh Assembly for its "flawed" plans to build dozens of windfarms in the area.

Peter Ogden, the Welshpool-based leader of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, said tackling the impact of climate change and reducing CO2 emissions was imperative.

But he criticised the Welsh Assembly for wanting to build industrial-scale windfarms in rural areas because he fears it could destroy the landscape.

Up to 550 wind turbines are set to be built across Powys in the coming years, which could take the total in the county to more than 700.

Powys County Council says up to 23 applications, totalling 548 turbines, have been or are about to be submitted, with many set to get the go-ahead under Government guidance.

Mr Ogden said: "The logic upon which TAN 8, which is a summary of windfarm developments, is based has been flawed from the outset and has encountered many problems during its implementation.

"The Welsh Assembly risks being blind to the damage caused to the landscape by a profusion of industrial- scale onshore wind power plants in remote upland areas. These developments are in fact totally unjustified, short sighted and contrary to sustainable development principles.

"The Welsh Assembly should strengthen mechanisms to get the right renewables in the right places and protect our landscape."

It comes as developers announced that a fresh application for a small windfarm in Powys will be submitted after planning perm-ission was refused this year.

Cornwall Light and Power will submit the application for the site at Pentre Tump, near Presteigne, next year.