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Larger turbine blades have been approved for a wind farm on the border of Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Bute Energy plans to construct 14 turbines at the Twyn Hywel Energy Park next year between Cilfynydd, Nelson, and Senghenydd.

The project has already been approved once by the Welsh Government, but the developer has since proposed increasing the blades’ size by eight metres.

At a meeting of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee, on Wednesday November 12, case officer Anthony Pyne said the proposal would not lead to taller turbines than those originally approved, however.

While the blades would be larger, Mr Pyne explained the base structure would be reduced in height by four metres, preserving the overall turbines’ height to 200 metres.

The application drew seven objections, and at the meeting Kim Allen spoke in opposition to the new plans, telling councillors she was concerned about increased ground vibrations, noise and environmental impact of the larger turbine blades.

She also questioned whether “severe” storms could affect the larger blades, and said the new proposals, if approved, “will have an increased adverse impact on the area” and result in “making it an unpleasant place to live”.

Planning agent Jack Pugsley, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said “significant weight” should be afforded to schemes which supply renewable energy, and there would be “no increase in noise levels” caused by the larger blades.

He told the committee the amended proposals would be subject to the same planning conditions imposed on the original scheme, which he said would “deliver renewable energy and economic benefits”.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the plans.

The decision follows Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s own approval of the amended plans earlier in November.