Residents in Shropshire and Mid Wales told of windfarm transport
Windfarm developers were today holding the first of two drop-in sessions to spell out how the transportation of huge parts will affect roads in Shropshire and Mid Wales.
The developers behind two Mid Wales windfarms currently under construction – Awel Newydd and RES – were at Pant Memorial Hall in the village near Oswestry between 3pm and 7pm, to update local people about turbine component deliveries which will be starting at the end of the month.
The second session will be held on Thursday at the Newtown campus of the NPTC Group, again between 3pm and 7pm.
Members of the public are invited to the sessions to hear the developers' turbine delivery programmes for Tirgwynt windfarm, between Carno and Cefn Coch, and Garreg Lwyd Hill windfarm, between Felindre and Llanbadarn Fynydd.
The events will include information about the delivery plans and timings of convoys carrying turbine components as they pass villages and towns on the route with a full police escort.
Representatives from both companies will be at the events to discuss the deliveries and answer any questions or concerns residents may have.
Turbine deliveries for Tirgwynt windfarm are due to begin on July 25 and last through to mid-September. A trial run of a convoy, minus the turbine parts, took place last month.
Last week, Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies hit out at Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Awel Newydd for refusing to hold a public meeting in Welshpool over the issue.
Mr Davies said: "I'm very disappointed by both RES and Awel Newydd's refusal to hold an information event about its turbine delivery plans in Welshpool.
"I had requested an event because both deliveries will come through Welshpool and the route for the Tirgwynt Windfarm will come right through the centre of the town.
"RES and Awel Newydd have indicated to me that their justification for not holding an event in Welshpool is that they have already sent out more than 3,000 invitations to properties for the events in Newtown and Pant and have so far only received four responses. However, it is quite obvious that the low response is most likely due to the fact that the events are not being held locally for most residents."
A joint response from the developers of Tirgwynt Wind Farm (?Awel Newydd) and Garreg Lwyd Hill Wind Farm (RES), said: "Awel Newydd and RES have worked together to organise these two information events on the turbine delivery arrangements for both Tirgwynt and Garreg Lwyd Hill Wind Farms.
"We aim to be as inclusive and open as possible at these events, and following extensive consultation with local community councils, the venues were chosen to ensure both locations were accessible to as many people as possible along the whole delivery route and that they reflected the areas of most concern to local people.
"Awel Newydd has attended several public meetings in Welshpool and met regularly with the community liaison group to share specific information on deliveries and the route through Welshpool - and the recent trial run demonstrated the measures we have implemented to minimise disruption there have been effective.
"RES has also engaged with Town and County Councillors representing Welshpool, and both Awel Newydd and RES have made contact information widely available for members of the public to discuss any questions or concerns regarding the construction of the wind farms.
"For anyone who is unable to come along to either Turbine Delivery Public Information Event, all display materials will be published on the following project websites from Friday, July 15, 2016. They are also welcome to contact the teams directly."
