Environment and Sustainability Committee
Inquiry into Energy Policy and Planning in Wales

EPP  265 – Sue Hayward and Malcolm Whitehead

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to you to state our opposition to any further windfarm development in Montgomeryshire.  Our reasons are as follows:

1. Mid Wales is a beautiful area which will be absolutely ruined by any further windfarms, particularly such large ones as are now being planned. 

2. Noise nuisance will be much worse than estimated, especially as we believe the last study of such noise is now over 14 years old and studied much smaller turbines.

3. Most importantly, no environmental study has been done on the implications of TAN8.  We think the whole TAN8 concept has not been thought through.

4. There was no mention of the huge transport issues in TAN8 ie transporting the parts of the turbines along our narrow roads.  Also, is it true that the absolutely unnecessary bypass at Four Crosses (built so unusually quickly, too) was built merely to aid the transport of such turbines?

5. The structural damage to our small roads and adjacent buildings will be massive.

6.  The whole thing will damage the tourism industry in mid-Wales which employs thousands of people.  How many jobs will be lost?

7. We do not believe that wind power is the answer to our energy needs.  The only reason these turbines are being erected is because they are subsidised at present.  As soon as that ends, no one will be interested in them.

Regards,

Sue Hayward & Malcolm Whitehead,