Council leader raises concerns about wind farm plans

The leader of Shropshire Council has written to the First Minister of Wales to express his fury about a policy document that could lead to power cables passing through the county. 

In its Technical Advice Note (TAN) 8, the Welsh Assembly Government identifies Mid Wales as an important location for renewable energy.  It has put forward a number of areas in the region suitable for wind farm developments. 

However, Councillor Keith Barrow has written to Carwyn Jones to say he is appalled that Shropshire Council wasn’t consulted about the TAN 8, and to raise a number of other fears about the impact it may have on the county. 

He is also demanding a further consultation into  the TAN 8 document. 

National Grid has recently carried out the first stage of a public consultation into how to connect the planned and newly-built wind farms in Mid Wales to the existing national electricity transmission network. 

In its response to National Grid’s recent consultation Shropshire Council said that cables connecting planned and newly-built wind farms in Mid Wales to the existing national electricity transmission network should not pass through Shropshire and, if they do, they should be carried underground. 

However, Councillor Barrow wants to make the Minister aware that this consultation has revealed a number of serious issues arising from the adoption of the TAN 8 document and its implementation. 

Keith Barrow said:

“In particular, I want to express my anger that Shropshire’s councils were not consulted on TAN 8 or its implications. 

“When we discussed our response to the consultation at Cabinet the integrity and validity of TAN 8 promoting wind farm development was criticised by a number of speakers. There was particular concern about the fact that Shropshire was not consulted on this document and nor were the strategic infrastructure implications considered when TAN 8 was published. 

“Shropshire is experiencing the impact now of planned wind farm developments in Wales.  The wider scheme provides for 132kv connections from wind farms in mid Wales to a new hub, and the promoter has identified a route corridor through Shropshire as its preferred option. 

“It is possible, and indeed feared by many that the connection would be made by way of an overhead line and pylon route, and I want to make the Minister aware of our concerns and fears.” 

In his letter, Councillor Barrow has also expressed his desire to meet with the Minister to discuss these issues further.