Fears power plans will destroy region

Plans which could see hundreds of pylons built across Shropshire and Mid Wales will totally destroy the economy, it has been claimed.

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies said dozens of businesses had approached him in recent weeks with fears the onshore windfarms and associated pylons would be a big threat to their businesses.

Mr Davies said people were worried about the impact would have on the region's roads and tourism.

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 but a decision on the preferred substation and route is expected to be made early next year.

Mr Davies said: "People who work in the area contact me regularly to tell me that onshore wind is the biggest threat to the potential of their business. We cannot ignore that.

"Planners in Mid Wales are aware of the threat. They are deeply concerned that windfarm applications are being submitted without the necessary information about ecological or environmental impacts.

"There is almost no transport planning for the 20 or so proposed windfarms, yet planners are under pressure to approve the applications. If they do, they will be sacrificing the economy of Mid Wales."

He said the roads in the region just wouldn't be able to cope with the amount of traffic created by the windfarms and associate pylons.

He added it would create thousands of extra lorry movements on the region's roads every year.

He added: "From the perspective of my constituency, the economy of Mid Wales will be destroyed if proposals for all these windfarms goes ahead. Businesses are tremendously worried about how they will cope with the numerous impacts these windfarms will bring to the area."