Environment
and Sustainability Committee
Inquiry into Energy
Policy and Planning in Wales
EPP 257 – Miss Layla Long
To The
Enviroment and Sustainability Committee, National Assembly for
Wales.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter to show my objection
the development of more windfarms in Powys Midwales and to the
proposals by National grid and SPEN to build numerous 26m high
steel pylons and 132kv lines to connect undetermined windfarms to
the proposed hub sites in Abermule and Cefn Coch. I strongly oppose
all proposals for the following reasons:
POOR CONSULTATION
The meaning of CONSULT in the English dictionary is;
'1. seek information or advice from (a person, book, watch, etc) 2
(often foll. by with) refer to a person for advice, an opinion, etc
3 seek permission or approval from (a person) for a proposed
action. .......'
National grid and SPEN are not consulting us. We have been told
through your consultation process that these proposals are not an
option, that they WILL be going ahead wheather we oppose them or
not. They are not seeking our approval, because ultimatley they
tell us that this will make no difference.They are DICTATING to us
not 'consulting' us.
Myself and others in this rural community are outraged that when
consultation events were scheduled in the area 'Rhiwhiriaeth'
-which is bang smack in the centre of the proposed National grid
pylon route and associated infastructure - were not considered to
be important to consult.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN CONSUTED PROPERLY. We 'have' a community Centre
which should have been used to consult a community which you are
proposing to transform with your pylons. The National Grid are
proposing to erect 50meter high pylons on our doorsteps, the very
least they can do is to come and consult us! Instead, members of
our community (many of whom are elderly) had to travel accross the
miles to visit a consultation in either Llanfair Caereinion or
Adfa, both of which are no where near as affected by your proposals
as Rhiwhiriaeth is!
WE HAD TO APPROACH THE NATIONAL GRID AND SPEN TO 'PLEAD' FOR A
CONSULTATION ABOUT THEIR PROPOSALS IN OUR COMMUNITY CENTER! We
secured a date with SPEN but the National grid REFUSED to come. WE
HAVE BEEN LEFT FEELING INSULTED.
Are we not 'worth' informing? The people who would be affected most
by these proposals are not being consulted properly. National Grid
and spen are not being CONSIDERATE nor RESPECTFUL of the people of
mid-wales's right to be consulted properly.
It was of great surprise that the choice to inform a rural, farming
community of your proposals and the only way of obtaining a
consultation feedback form came at the most difficult time of year
for the majority of residents, the farmers. Lambing season was
right in the middle of your chosen time to consult this farming
community. Many farmers were unable to attend the local
consultations, let alone have time to read the information about
it. This is rediculous. Surely National grid and SPEN should have
been aware and taken this into account if they are so keen to
consult 'everyone'.
As a Welsh woman I speak fluent Welsh and know many families in
this area who speak nothing but Welsh in their day to day lives.
These welsh speaking families have been totally let down by the
consultation process. There has been a serious lack of welsh
speaking members present at consultation events! It is very
difficult to communicate vital information to welsh speakers when
they are faced with only unfamiliar words in english from english
staff. Many welsh speakers had only bilingual posters to read, but
felt unable to ask their own questions without doing so in
welsh. We 'are' in wales and the least the National grid and
SPEN can do is to recognise that we have our own language and want
to talk one to one with your staff just as english speakers
could.
The feedback forms provided were only available from visiting a
consultation event. These forms should have been sent to every
address. It is not fair that members of the community could lose
out on expressing their oppinion because they did not attend a
consultation event. Many Llanfair and Welshpool residents did not
even know that feedback forms existed and it was hard for them to
obtain a feedback form without travelling miles to the next
consultation event.
The feedback forms provided are DELIBERATLEY DEVISIVE. It is a
closed questionairre, the public have no option but to follow the
answers chosen by the National grid and SPEN. THEY HAVE
CREATED THE QUESTIONS 'AND' THE REPLIES WHICH THEY WANT FROM US.
There is no option to object. Instead they are playing two
communities against each other, which is totally wrong.
At the consultation events I found staff to be very patronising.
Many of my serious and important questions were laughed at to my
face by 'National grid and SPEN' staff. This is unacceptable. I was
treated by staff as if I had absolutley no say, and no reason to be
at the consultation.It was National grid and SPEN staff
'telling' me and my family what was going to happen to our
community instead of actualy consulting us.Staff had very little
knowledge of the area which would be greatest impacted by these
proposals. When trying to discuss matters about certain remote
areas, they were unable to give any significant relply.
Every member of staff was oblivious to the natural habitat
which proposals would have a direct impact on. I asked a number of
questions about birds which migrate to the lakes to the north of my
property and about the otters and bats that inhabit the pylon and
turbine routes proposed but staff didn't even realise that these
wild, protected and vulnerable creatures are in the heart of the
routes proposed for pylons/turbines! This is information they
'should' know.
At consultation events and in the initial information sent by post,
I was dissapointed not to see any photo-montages of the proposed
hub, turbines or pylons as they would appear at the proposed
sites/routes. To give the members of the public an idea of the
changes you are facing us with. It would be beneficial for all
communities to have an idea of the scale of change that we may be
faced with if these proposals go ahead.
I was surprised that no route corriodors from strateigic search
area D to the hub were put forward for consideration , and yet are
set to be developed so will need a connection in the near future. I
did not see SSE renewables represented at most events
either.
ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT
I had absolutley no adequate response from the National grid or
SPEN when asking about the enviromental issues involved in these
proposals. A huge scale development, lines of pylons for miles
accross an area of outstanding natural beauty such as Cefn Coch and
Abermule will have devastating consequences for our wildlife.
From Cefn Coch area there are otters, curlews, red kites, buzzards,
bats (such as the Lesser horseshoe bat), pine martins, badgers,
foxes, various species of Owl, Peregrin Falcon, Red squirrels, Hen
harriers, Stag beetles, water vole, lapwing, fritillary butterflies
and dragonflies, great crested newt many of which are
protected species. These creatures are habitating in the very
area which the proposed route for pylons, turbines and other
associated infastructure tear
through.
This (and many other areas which would be affected by these
proposals, especially DYFNANT FOREST) is such a rural, secluded
area is one in which wildlife, flora and fauna can thrive in their
natural habitat, and this is all because it is an area 'untouched'
by industry.
TO DEVELOP ACCROSS MILES OF UNTOUCHED LANDSCAPE WOULD DEVASTATE THE
NATURAL HABITAT WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED OVER GENERATIONS.
To lose this strong enviroment in mid wales in which species that
are endangered- such as curlews and red kites- would be
unforgivable and affect the future of wildlife in this area. The
scale upon which this devastation would cause, weather the ripping
up of hedges on quiet country roads to accommodate the
transportation of abnormally large loads (for hub/windfarm/pylons)
or the destruction of natural peat bogs, wildflower meadows and
ancient grasslands, this all contributes to the destruction
which the National grid and SPEN proposes for the future of
Mid wales's natural enviroment.
The lakes at 'Llyn Hir' to the north of our home and 'Horeb Chapel'
have birds such as Sandpipers, dunlin, black-tailed godwit,
mallard, pochard, tufted duck, goldeneye, teal, wigeon, gadwall,
great crested grebe, mute swan, Canada goose and cormorant. These
are all nesting and visiting them. All of which
fly accross the proposed route for these pylons and turbines in
cefn coch area.
It is not only the 50 meter high pylons and lines which would
affect our enviroment but also the cumulative impact of the
windfarms, hub and 400kv and 132kv lines. This has NOT been
cosidered.
VISUAL IMPACT
Landmap grading undervalues our beautiful landscape. National Grid
and SPEN staff have no idea of the appearance and surroundings
where routes have been drawn up for their proposals nor have the
majority of them ever set foot in the valleys which thier pylons
and turbines would damage.
These large scale changes to our landscape are uncomprahendable.
Communities are in shock that all of a sudden industry are allowed
to dominate the majority with these proposals and transform the
daily lives of the people of mid wales. Thrusting upon our rural
communities 50 meter high pylons, large scale windfarms, a 19 acre
hub and all other aspects of associated infastructure. Where will
they stop? After all, in the 'SP NETWORKS initial strateigic
optioneering report' March 20011 they highlite the oppertunity for
more:
'4.6- Mid walesis an area of significant wind
farm generation development........These connections are due to be
made from 2015 onwards. In addition, 300MW of generation capacity
is known about but not yet contracted.'
MID WALES WILL NO LONGER HAVE A BEAUTIFUL VIEW, LUSH GREEN LAND
THAT HAS BEEN CHERISHED BY OUR FORE-FATHERS. MID WALES WILL NO
LONGER BE A LANDSCAPE TO BE PROUD OF IF THESE PROPOSALS GO
AHEAD.
Instead we will have industry. Factories to generate power from the
wind and huge steel pylons towering over our homes and
fields.
We 'CHOSE' to live in an area of outstanding natural beauty, we
did'nt 'chose' to live amongst pylons, lines and hubs! where is our
choice?!
How comes is it that according to the National grid and SPEN, we
have no say in these proposals. They have already been drawn up
without our involvement. But, if a neighbour or land owner wished
to apply for planning to create changes to my surroundings, the
impact of objections from relevant members of the public including
myself could effectivley put a stop to any such changes. So why is
it that their proposals for these large scale windfarms, which will
also (so they say) require a 19 acre hub, 26m high and 50m
high pylons and powerlines in my, and others back yard can just go
ahead. Regardless of the objection of the majority of mid
wales!
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
The visuals of the countryside in which most of us in mid wales
chose to live amongst 'are' the reason for our being here. If this
is devastated by these proposals then many families livelyhoods
would also be devastated.
Government tourism surveys show that many will NOT return nor visit
a 'turbanised' and 'pylonised' are. This is extremely worrying for
our economy. Tourism earns almost £2 billion a year for
Wales. It contributes 7% to Welsh GDP. The conventional electricity
industry contributes less than 2% to Welsh GDP and if the 2010
renewable generation target of 10% is achieved, it would represent
at best only 0.2% of our country’s GDP.
In our valley there are a number of buisinesses which will be
affected by the visual impact which turbines and pylons would
bring. The impact of multiple lines converging on either hub site
would be visable for many miles. Our valley is very narrow
and 50meter high pylons would be totally unnacceptable.
Next door to us is a successful recording studio (Foel
Studio) where bands from all over the world come to record because
it is in such a beautiful, secluded location unspoilt by industry.
It is of great concerne that the pylons would effect the recording
at the recording studio also if in close proximity.
Industrialisation of this valley which draws people from all over
the world would ruin a long established buisiness such as this.
These proposals would have the same consequence for the
outward bound center (Red Ridge) where children from industrialised
areas all over come to get away from industry and experience this
natural habitat.
There are too many bed and breakfeasts and caravan sites (In
particular Cefn Coch Caravan site and public house) to name which
would be effected by the proposals, as families and walkers who
freequently stay in the area to enjoy the views and wildlife would
no longer want to come here to see the destruction of it by pylon
after pylon, country lanes spoilt by widening, damage to natural
trails, canals, historical and SSSI sites. Our valley is recognised
as the 'Golden chain' and people visit it to see the unusually
large numbers in a secluded area of yellow laburnam trees which
line the fields. People come to this area to see an unspoilt
natural wilderness and locals depend on this to make a
living.
The journey to the welsh coast (such as Aberdovey, Tywyn and
Barmouth)is freequented along the Llanfair Caereinion/ Llanerfyl
A458, because of its beautiful views. Tourists travel this way
because it has not been spoilt and adds to the whole holiday
experience of mid wales. Roadside garages, caravan sites such as
'Neuadd Bridge' would become abandoned by tourists if there is no
longer a reason to travel this route.
Families have established buisnesses in the area over generations
based on its visual impact, but National Grid and SPEN are
proposing to destroy the leggacy of these families, creating ghost
towns and villages.
WHAT GIVES THE NATIONAL GRID AND SPEN THE RIGHT TO DE-VALUE OUR
PROPERTY?
Many of us depend on the value of our homes for security. In terms
of financial value, a loss because of the proximity of 26M high and
National grid 50M high pylons including nearby windfarms would have
a detramental effect on next generations of families.
My family have been living at this property for 33 years. My
parents (with whom me, my partner and my 2year old son live with)
built this house from a ruin- a pile of stone- to a home which in
turn would provide me and my family a future. It would
be seriously damaging our future and if these proposals were ever
accepted. And we- like so many other young families- would not only
have to face the ordeal of moving away from our inheritance and
heratige, but also face de-valuation of the property and the
impossibility of selling the property within these proposals.
Because our house is within the Route corriodors of all of the
proposed infastructure it has 'already' been tremendously
de-valued!
When asking about the possibility of undergrounding cables instead
of Pylons, I was met with little response and only the extra costs
of undergrounding seemed to be mentioned. It is obvious that
undergrounding would make a significant difference to the visual
impact of overhead pylons, which would be of some comfort to mid
wales's tourism, but not solve the impact of the windfarms.
We live in a ministry of defence tactical training area and have
training helicopters etc from nearby Shawbury (one of the
UK’s largest facilities for RAF helicopter training)using
this area for training purpose. The proposed SPEN and National Grid
pylon and turbine routes through this area would detrimentally
affect the training of our servicemen and women and negatively
impact on our response to natural disasters and threats to national
security.
TRAFFIC ISSUES
Consultants Capita Symons were commissioned by both WAG and Powys
CC to study the transportation issues. Their report published in
October 2008 stated:
'scale of the planned development is
unprecedented and will be the largest infrastructure project ever
undertaken in the principality.'
Both roads to potential hub sites are unsuitable for large abnormal
loads. The cost of modifying these roads would be great. The impact
on residents daily life would be unnacceptableand the ripping up of
hedges and wildlife habitat to replace with tarmac is definatley
not a green approach. With the transportation footprint, ( 90% of
material imported) plus the construction, peat extraction, traffic
chaos, due to volatility of wind energy turbines will require 75%
fossil fuel back up, the whole project will increase CO2!
No consideration has been given to the disruption which your the
construction of these proposals would cause our Emergency
services. The years of disruption would greatly hinder their work
and a service the community greatly depends on. Powys county
council's calculations show that constructing all of the planned
windfarms will need in excess of 3000very large, slow moving
convoys over a seven year period.
The Air Ambulance is crucial for this rural community. The erection
of windfarms and pylons will have a detramental effect on the
service they provide. It is hard enough for them to find ground to
land in this area, but huge pylons would seriously reduce this
ground and put an almost instant stop to this crucial service. In
Snow the Air Ambulance is even more important as there is little
chance of veichles reaching us!
HEALTH ISSUES
BECAUSE SPEN ARE PROPOSING TO CREATE THESE LARGE SCALE WINDFARMS
THE NATIONAL GRID ARE INVOLVED. IF SPEN DID NOT EXPLOIT OUR
COUNTRYSIDE TO ITS LIMITS THEN WE WOULD NOT BE FACED WITH THE RISKS
WHICH I AM ABOUT TO EXPLAIN.THE BUILDING OF THESE WINDFARMS IS NOW
GOING TOO FAR.
I have a two year old son. The health risks linked to high voltage
electeicity pylons are too much of a risk for myself- and I'm sure
many other parents- to the health of our children. We believe
that the health of our children is first and foremost of
importance, afterall they are our future and we have bought them
into the world. It is not up to multinational companies to decide
their fate.
At the consultation event I was given a booklet by the National
grid called ' Electric and magnetic fields' by ENA. I quote from
this booklet:
'With EMFs and risk the situation is different,
no risk has been proven. Instead EMFs are sometimes described as a
'possible' cause of cancer or a 'possible carcinogen. The word
'possible' is used about all sorts of things in our lives.'
But in our daily lives we can 'choose' to take a risk and way up
the 'possible' outcomes. BECAUSE OF SPEN'S PROPOSALS, THE NATIONAL
GRID HAVE THRUST THIS RISK UPON ME AND MY FAMILY, AND EVERY OTHER
FAMILY WHO WILL BE LIVING AMONGST THEIR PYLONS IF PROPOSALS GO
AHEAD. They have given us no choice. I do not want to take a risk
with the health of my child but they could be making me.
Where are 'my' human rights to protect the health of my
baby!?
As National Grid state under the heading 'The National and
international view' :
'In march 2004, the NRPB published a
comprehensive review of the science on EMFs. For the key issue of
childhood leukaemia, they talk about the difficulties with some of
the studies and say:" The epidemiological evidence is currently not
strong enough to justify a firm conclusion... 'but also'
nevertheless, the possibility remains that intense and prolonged
exposures to magnetic fields can increase the risk of leaukaemia in
children.'
The most recent evidence reported in this booklet written by the
National Radiological protection board, states that there is a
'possibility' that 'intense and prolonged exposures to magnetic
fields'- which would be the case of many childred living in
proximity of these pylons- 'can increase the risk of leaukaemia in
children'. The National grid are proposing to place a potential
death scentance on children who would be in proximity of these
pylons. A 'possibility' should be too much of a risk to take with
the health of our future generations. This is'nt being
eco-friendly, this is'nt being green! No renewable energy target
can be so important that it risks the health of a generation.
It is not only childhood leukaemia that is at risk but also adult
cancers, heart disease, Altzheimers disease, depression, suicide
and miscarrage, headaches and lethargy.
Young families will move away from this area of mid wales with such
a risk ruling over them.
Mid wales has been left in the dark for 6 years whilst these
proposals have been formulated. Plotting behind closed doors. The
National grid (and SPEN) proposals suddenly thrust upon mid wales
has left its population in utter SHOCK and DISPEAR. Mine
including the many other families have been put under an extreme
amount of stress. It has caused anxiety, frustration, anger and
confusion to mid wales's residents.
SPEN AND THE NATIONAL GRID HAVE UNDERESTIMATED THE IMPACT THEIR
PROPOSALS HAVE HAD UPON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MID WALES'S RESIDENTS.
THE ELDERLY FEEL HELPLESS, OUR CHILDREN ARE SCARED AND CONFUSED.
THIS IS TOTALLY UNNESSACARY AND MUST BE STOPPED.
THE FIGURES DO NOT ADD UP.
The very reason for this proposal originates from the Welsh
Assembly government's technical advice note TAN 8. This ill
concieved and badly thought out policy was introduced in 2005 and
it completely out of date.
This £2billion plus project will yeild an annual output from
700 plus additional turbines of 200MW at present efficiency levels
- equivalent to around a tenth of the output from a
conventional power station. Such a miserable output for shuch a
costly, disruptive proposal.
The target for windfarm capacity in the original Tan 8 is 800MW for
all of wales. In wales in 2010 the load factor (efficiency) of the
windfarm fleet was about 18%. Going by the figure of 23% this would
mean the average output after a year will be only 184MW. This is
less than 4% of the welsh Assembly government's renewable energy
target.
ALL OF THIS MISERY IS FOR NO SIGNIFICANT GAIN.
70%of the time the wind does not blow strongly enough and wind
energy has to be backed up by conventional power (gas or coal
fired).
In 2010 because of the variation in wind speed, windfarms only
produced 21.4% of their stated power over a year. In mid wales only
18% of their rated capacity! So much has been realised scince the
formation of Tan 8 in 2005. Why are these proposals made to appear
of such urgency? Consider the bigger picture.
In may four energy companies were paid to switch off turbines on 16
occaisions. On the 24th of may the most expensive shut down cost
the Grid £613,000 when seven windfarms 'came offline' for 69
hours. This has happened on a number of occaisions and ammounts to
millions of pounds. John Constable, of the REF, said:
"It is clear the grid is struggling to integrate
the existing wind farms at reasonable cost to the consumer. There
appears to be an expensive mismatch between political rhetoric and
engineering reality."
All this and the public are 'still' seeing energy bills
rising.
At our recent meeting with a SPEN reprasentative we were informed
that there is NO NEED FOR 50 METER 400KV PYLONS. We are aware that
there is a conflict between the National Grid implying that there
is a need for 'two' lines but SPEN actualy only need 'one'line for
their capacity. This would mean that there is a serious case for
undergrounding with only one cable. Why do the National Grid press
for the need of pylons when there is NO NEED.
SPEN announced that 'they' would also be willing to discuss plans
to avoid 50meter high National Grid pylons by sending capacity
through their own plans. Why have these not been considered?
Instead of so much work and money being put into apparently
consulting mid wales about a proposal which they reject and feel is
totally rediculous for the above reasons, National Grid and SPEN
should instead be looking into ways to encourage saving energy. For
example, there should be a serious investigation into the wasteful
use of energy such as 24hours of lights in highstreet shops which
are'nt even open for buisiness. There should also be research into
Bioenergy, Hydropower, Ocean, Solar, Hydrogen etc. But then again
these are not always better at producing profits for PLC's as I am
sure big companies such as them are aware.
THERE IS MUCH ASSERTION BUT LITTLE JUSTIFICATION.
This will be the first instance when our own Government can decide
the future of its fellow citizens. Public confidence in the Welsh
Assembly Government 'and' renewables have been seriously damaged
since the revelation of these proposals. This will only escalate if
these proposals go ahead.
Wales remembers the flooding of their valleys in the 1950s and the
Meibion Glyndwr 'holiday cottage campaign' 1979-1993. If these
proposals develop our children will never forget. We will not allow
SPEN or the National Grid to impose this upon us. Be ready for a
fight.
Miss Layla Long