Oakdale Business Park is to be the home of two 130m high wind turbines after councillors gave the electricity generating scheme approval.
Councillors sitting at Wednesday’s planning committee meeting unanimously approved the plans by renewable energy developer Partnerships for Renewables.
The company will now build build the 2.5 megawatt turbines and operate them for 25 years.
The turbines could generate around 11 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green electricity every year – enough to power 2,400 homes.
Welcoming the decision, Cllr Ron Davies, the cabinet member for regeneration and countryside, said: “It’s an important approval and light engineering will remain at Oakdale.
“It’s one of the bright spots of economic development in Caerphilly County Borough.”
The company, which has been working with Caerphilly County Borough Council for more than a year on the plans, formally submitted its planning application back in July 2011.
After consultation with local residents, the original location of the turbines was moved slightly eastwards further away from the closest residents.
Jerry Sturman, regional manager at Partnerships for Renewables, said: “This is great news for the local area and Caerphilly County Borough Council. We believe the turbines will become a feature that local people and businesses can be proud to host in their community. The council will receive a share of the revenue generated from this development and this will naturally be fed back into the area through the council’s activities.
“There will also be a community benefit fund associated with the development which will contribute £12,500 every year for the life of the project. Representatives of the community will decide how this is spent towards projects that benefit everyone in the area.
“This site is exactly the type of development the First Minister has indicated he wants to close the gap to meet Wales’ renewable energy targets – a smaller size wind farm utilising brownfield land.”
However, despite some support for the scheme, some residents had voiced their concerns to the council.
According to the planning report seven letters of complaint have been received as well as a 28 signature petition against the turbines.
Some of the complaints claim the turbines would lower the value of their house and be too noisy and that public consultation could have been better.
What a bad decision, typical of Caerphilly County Borough,did they have professional engineering advice on the matter?, no one has proven the economics of wind power,the only people to make money out of wind power are those who build and erect the turbines. Even George Monbiot the Green Guru, has grave doubts on their economic viability. Some authorities suggest they will neve produce enough energy to recover the energy expended in making them
Hardly surprising, there was never an doubt that the turbines would get the go ahead. The council are profiteering at the expense of the local community and where there is money there are nodding councillors.