UK - Disappointment at mixed messages on wind energy in Wales

BWEA Cymru, the leading renewable energy body representing wind, wave and tidal technologies, today declared its 'disappointment' at Denbighshire County Council decision to approve one wind farm development while rejecting another.

Llywelyn Rhys of BWEA Cymru said, "While we are delighted that the Llyn Brenig decision has been overturned, we are mystified why Gorsedd Bran, which also received a strong recommendation for approval, has again been refused."

A full meeting of the Council overturned a previous decision to refuse the Llyn Brenig project, while confirming the decision to reject the Gorsedd Bran project.

The original refusals were made by the Council's Planning Committee on the 23rd of January despite the projects receiving the support of local people, planning officers and stakeholders. The rejection of viable projects in areas designated by the Welsh Assembly Government for large-scale wind farm developments was contrary to both national and local planning policy and would have hampered Wales' efforts of achieving its 2010 renewable energy targets.

Rhys added "This gives a very mixed message as to the commitment of Denbighshire Council of implementing national planning policy on renewable energy. If the Council's decision is later found to be unreasonable then they could be liable to pay large costs which would hit local services and rate payers. "Local Authorities in Wales must step up to the challenges posed by Climate Change and give their full support to renewable energy projects in their area, otherwise Wales will be known for its lack of commitment to develop clean carbon free energy."

About the Bristish Wind Energy Association:
The British Wind Energy Association is the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries. Formed in 1978, and with over 360 corporate members, BWEA is the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK. Wind has been the world's fastest growing renewable energy source for the last seven years, and this trend is expected to continue with falling costs of wind energy and the urgent international need to tackle CO2 emissions to prevent climate change BWEA Cymru is a dedicated committee to Wales made up of twenty member companies with the aim of helping to deliver the Welsh Assembly Government's renewable energy targets.

Despite Government guidelines stating that major planning applications should be decided within 16 weeks, in 2007 it took an average of 19 months for a wind farm planning application to be determined in Wales. Average appeal determination time was 38 months.

The Welsh Assembly Government has a specific target of generating an additional 800 MW from onshore wind farms by 2010. Since the TAN 8 guidance was adopted in July 2005, local authorities have voted on 319 MW worth planning applications (21 separate wind farms), of these only 107MW (just over a third – 10 wind farms) have been approved. 236MW (11 wind farms) have been rejected by Welsh planning committees. To date only 73 additional MW have become operational.

Local Authorities run the risk of incurring substantial costs if their planning decision is later reversed on appeal.

For further comment or to arrange an interview please contact Llywelyn Rhys on 02920 020615 or llywelyn@bwea.com