1,500 protest at wind farm vote

29 June 2011 Last updated at 14:09 GMT By Iolo ap Dafydd BBC Wales environment correspondent Councillors are being asked to vote to put windfarm development on hold.

Around 1,500 anti-wind farm protesters have arrived ahead of a special Powys council meeting calling for an immediate review of development policy.

Councillors are meeting at Welshpool livestock mart rather than the council chamber.

The motion before them urges the Welsh Government to request a moratorium on all wind farm applications.

Earlier this month First Minister Carwyn Jones said he wanted to see developments restricted.

He has also called for powers to be devolved from Westminster to Wales.

The Technical Advice Note (Tan) 8 policy was introduced in 2005 as guidance on wind farms. It allows councils to decide on wind farms up to 50 megawatts in size.

All Powys councillors are being asked to meet and vote in Welshpool livestock mart on Wednesday rather than at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells so more people can attend.

By 1500 BST around 1,500 protesters were already on site to lobby the meeting.

A vote is expected at 1530 BST.

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To offer an assurance of an upper limit, when that upper limit is the object of everybody's hatred, is no consolation to anybody at all”

End Quote Neville Smith Windfarm opponent Large screens have been erected for the protesters to watch proceedings.

'Upper limit'

The policy saw the government in Cardiff establish seven Strategic Search Areas (SSAs) in Wales.

The SSAs were devised to corral all wind farm development into specific areas, rather than allow turbines to be put up across Wales.

There is one area in the north and another in west Wales, two in the Heads of Valleys region and three in mid Wales.

Thousands of Montgomeryshire residents blame this policy for the 15 current wind farm applications in Powys.

Tan 8 allows councils to refuse or allow permission for wind farms up to 50 megawatts

If all are approved, that would add more than 600 turbines to the 216 already there.

Following a demonstration outside the Senedd last month, Mr Jones announced an "upper limit" of turbines to be allowed in Tan 8 areas.

He said his government opposed new steel pylons - planned by the National Grid - to export power generated by wind energy into the wider electricity infrastructure.

Retired barrister Neville Smith, who lives near Berriw, opposes the Tan 8 policy and says he is not comforted by the first minister's announcement.

"I can see the chap is in trouble and I can see how he's looking for some sort of breathing space," he said.

"But to offer an assurance of an upper limit, when that upper limit is the object of everybody's hatred, is no consolation to anybody at all.

"Carwyn Jones's statement was ineffective."

The wind energy's trade body also wants a review.

"We don't feel it's successful," said Maria McCaffrey, Renewable UK's chief executive.

"We had great hopes for it... essentially (it said) if you build a wind farm here you are going to get an easy passage through planning, and are likely of success... this has not happened.

"Does it get our vote? No. Is it going to work without comprehensive review? No."

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