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A decision over a new wind farm development, part of which would be in Caerphilly County Borough, is set to be made by Blaenau Gwent councillors later this month.

In August 2023, 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 onsite substation, underground cables and associated works at Cefn Manmoel Common.

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

Overall, Blaenau Gwent council planners believed that the impact of the wind farm would be “negative.”

Blaenau Gwent Council’s planning committee was given an update on the progress of the plans on Thursday October 3.

Planning officer Helen Hinton said: “With regards to the Manmoel wind farm you will see that the decision was expected at the end of September.

“We received notification on September 25 that the Welsh Government are extending the determination period on that for the minister to review the inspector’s report up until October 25.

“Hopefully we will be able to present something verbally to members at the November committee.”

A hearing on the application took place in March and, according to the PEDW website, the planning inspector’s report was handed over to the Welsh Government in May.

But since then, the Welsh Government have gone through a leadership crisis which eventually saw Eluned Morgan replace Vaughan Gething as First Minister in August.

Due to this there has been a rejig of cabinet member responsibilities which has seen the Local Government and Climate Change brief split up.

Deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS is the cabinet secretary for climate change and rural affairs while Jane Bryant MS is the cabinet secretary for housing and local government.

Before the turmoil at the top of the Welsh Government, Julie James MS who resigned from government in July, was cabinet secretary for climate change, local government and planning, and would originally have received the planning inspectors report.