An Upper Cwmbran resident has created an image of what a 150-metre tall wind turbine would like from his street.
Chris Harris, lives in The Square, and attended last week’s public consultation about a proposal to build a wind farm on Myndd Maen. Staff from Renewable Energy Systems (RES) organised the event to hear people’s views before they submit a planning application for a possible 13 turbines, each up to 149.9m tall.
Mr Harris said the images on display were “farcical” and only showed what the wind farm would like from several locations including Penyrhoel, Twmbarlwm and Pantygasseg. But there was nothing to show the possible view for residents living in the nearest street to the site.
He took a photo from his street and used map contours to find out the height of the ridge on Mynydd Maen. Then using the two height differences he drew a scaled artist’s impression of one of the wind turbines.
He said: “It’s right on the edge of the plateau, from the base it’s a direct line down to us. You’re going to see the full height there. My objection at the moment is I’d like that one to go.”
Mr Harris has been to the top of the mountain with someone from RES to “explain my reservation”.
He said this location was chosen because there are pylons already there so the developers can build a substation and wind-generated electricity can “run straight onto the national grid. That’s a big economic thing, like you know.
“That’s our unfortunate legacy of having those pylons which have never been beautiful but they’ve been ok but they won’t be as prominent as these (wind turbines).
“I know I took my photograph there, that height, from contours on the map. And then I took the reading for the plateau, on the ridge. It’s pretty flat there. And then I measured that and it was so many centimeters and then I added that much on. I worked it out on the same scale. I think it’s pretty right.
“Other residents are particularly concerned about the noise. It’s a very quiet area. It’s like a bowl you know. “Like the noise of a wind turbine in the middle of London wouldn’t matter but in the country, any constant noise can be annoying.”
He also has concerns about the setting sun causing annoying “flashes” from the turbines.
Mr Harris added: “I’d rather it wasn’t there at all, but that’s really nimby isn’t it? But they could be relocated. It might not be possible to have them all. They’ve reduced (the number of wind turbines) it by two. When I saw that I thought ‘oh great’, it will be the two ones most prominent.” He said RES now plan to build 13 turbines but this was a decision because the ground wasn’t suitable at two locations.
“It’s easy to say ‘you know, you’re a nimby’. There are none in Torfaen. There are some in Newport, on industrial estates, where obviously noise doesn’t matter, and in the docks. These might be alright if they can keep them out of view. There is a great plateau over there and they could be further down.”
The view from Edlogan Way
The top photo shows the view from Edlogan Way and the bottom one had the wind turbines that will be visible from this location superimposed onto it. Mr Harris said that the images used in last year’s consultation drew the turbines in red, and were clearer to see.
RES say that the farm would generate enough electricity for 55,000 homes.
Give your views
The deadline for comments is Friday 7 July. Click here to download and form. Email it to [email protected] or post to RES, Cedar House, Greenwood Close, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff, CF23 8RD.
