Powys windfarm plans meeting moved to larger site

Council bosses have been forced to relocate a major windfarm debate because none of its buildings are big enough to accommodate the thousands of protestors expected to attend.

The full meeting of Powys County Council on June 29 will now be held at Welshpool Livestock Market after the County Hall in Llandrindod Wells was deemed to be too small.

County Hall, the authority's usual venue for meetings, could not cater for the 2,000 people from Shropshire and Mid Wales expected to attend.

Television screens and audio equipment could also be set up at the livestock market to provide a live feed to make sure more people can see and listen to the debate as it unfolds.

Councillors are hoping to launch a review into the Welsh Assembly's TAN8 policy on windfarms, which includes plans which could see hundreds of pylons to be built across Mid Wales.

It comes months after National Grid bosses launched consultation events in Shropshire and Mid Wales to discuss routes for a 400,000 volt cable linking windfarms in Powys to the grid. The cable will go along 46 metre-high pylons or be routed underground.

The plans include a power station being built in either Abermule near Newtown, or Cefn Coch, near Llanfair Caereinion. National Grid bosses have stressed no decision has yet been made and consultation meetings have been held in affected communities in Shropshire and Powys in the last few weeks.

Councillor Graham Brown, county councillor for Llandrinio, said: "One of the main concerns is that the venue in Llandrindod Wells will just be too small to accommodate the campaigners expected to attend. I've been told at least 2,000 people are expected.

"There has been talk that a big television screen and audio equipment will be put up outside so people can watch and listen to the debate.

"This is a major concern for Montgomeryshire and parts of Shropshire and this meeting will show the strength of feeling."

John Evans, communications manager for Powys County Council, said: "We can confirm the full council meeting on June 29, which will include a windfarm debate, will be held at the Welshpool Livestock Market because of the amount of people expected to attend."

By Anwen Evans