Solar farm could be created next to Llanidloes landfill site

Potters Waste Management submitted a request for a scoping opinion on a proposal for a solar farm at land next to the Bryn Posteg landfill site at Tylwch, near Llanidloes.

Potters has asked Powys County Council (PCC) planners for advice on whether they would need an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to accompany their proposal.

The firm has also asked what other documentation and studies it would need to include in a planning application.

According to Potters it wants to “develop a stand-alone, small-scale facility” that could generate up to one megawatt (MW) of renewable energy.

This would be done by spreading and arranging solar panel arrays across a 0.5 hectare site.

The proposal is already backed by Llanidloes without community council.

Councillors discussed the proposal at a meeting last December and supported it as it “would provide green energy.”

Powys senior planning officer, Kate Bowen said: “A pre application enquiry was submitted which sought advice regarding the development of a 1MW solar farm and potentially a wind turbine on land to the north and directly adjoining the existing landfill site.

“It was also proposed to investigate the use of renewable energy to convert methane to hydrogen for injection to the gas network.

“The enquiry response advised that an Environmental Statement would be required for the proposed development.

“The EIA for this development should include sufficient information to enable the local planning authority determine the extent of any environmental impacts arising from the proposed scheme on heritage assets, protected species and other nature conservation, countryside and landscape interests.

“The impacts of grid connections and transport links should be covered in the EIA for the proposed development as they both have the potential for significant impacts on landscape and nature conservation interests.”

The landfill site, which is about two miles south east of Llanidloes, has been there since the 1980s.

Bryn Posteg was originally owned and operated by Montgomeryshire County Council as a household waste disposal site up to the time of local government reorganisation in 1996, when PCC sold the landfill to private ownership.

Since then the site has been operating as Sundorne (Llanidloes) Ltd which is part of the Potters Group.