Application for wind farm submitted to Welsh Government planning inspectors

A formal planning application has been submitted to Welsh Government planning inspectors for a wind turbine development, part of which would be in Caerphilly County Borough.

Earlier this month Cenin Renewables lodged plans with the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) to build five wind turbines with a maximum blade tip height of 180 metres, as well as an on-site sub-station underground cables and associated works at Manmoel Common.

The site is in Blaenau Gwent, with part of it over the border in the Argoed ward of Caerphilly County Borough

The proposal is classified as a Development of National Significance (DNS), which means both Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly councils are consultees rather than decision makers, with the Welsh Government deciding the application.

Inspectors will look at all the information provided in the DNS application and eventually give advice to the Welsh Government on what decision to make.

A Welsh Government minister will then announce the decision.

PEDW case officer Nina Kinsey confirmed that the application had been formally accepted by PEDW .

Ms Kinsey explained that local planning authorities will now be “required” to display a notice on the site or near to the land for 30 days.

The applicant’s agent Natural Power Consultants Limited, explained the proposal in a planning statement.

Natural Power said: “The site lies within registered common land and is located primarily on an area of upland.

“Each turbine would be rated at up to five Mega Watts (MW), with a maximum installed capacity of 25 MW.

“It anticipated that the proposed development could generate around 61,320 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year.

“This is equivalent to the annual electricity needs of 19,250 average UK homes or approximately 59% of households in Blaenau Gwent.”

Natural Power said that the development would have a 50 year operational life span.

Natural Power said: “By its very nature as a renewable energy development, the proposed development contributes toward international, UK and Welsh goals of net zero greenhouse gasses emissions by 2050.”

Four of the five turbines would also be located in a “Pre-Assessed Area” (PPA) where there is a “presumption in favour” of wind energy development in the Welsh Government National Development Framework.