Bid to seize land for turbines (From Western Telegraph)

Bid to seize land for turbines

Wind energy companies could be given the right to seize land in Pembrokeshire through the route of compulsory purchase.

CRE Energy Ltd is seeking additional powers to acquire land in the same way that organisations such as the Highways Agency have for road construction.

Although the company has yet to lodge an application for a site in Pembrokeshire, it is said to be interested in developing a series of wind farms at 'various locations' in the UK.

Currently, there are no large scale wind farms in Pembrokeshire, although this is not through want of trying.

Ten years ago, Renewable Energy Systems Ltd applied for permission to erect 16 turbines at Corston Farm, Castlemartin, but this was refused by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Two years later National Wind Power Ltd said it wanted to erect 17 turbines on land at Jordanston. This was again turned down.

The most recent major application was by the same company in 1999 when it tried and failed to erect 16 turbines on land at Mynydd Cilciffeth near Fishguard.

Smaller developments have been more successful.

Only this week, farmer Keith Knight has been given permission to erect a second turbine to supply houses in Milford Haven with power.

Although there has been some opposition to his proposal, it is the large scale sites to which the public prove most hostile.

There is concern that if the green light is given to compulsory purchase of land for wind farms, it will make it easier for energy companies to override the planning system.

Lisa Francis, Welsh Conservative AM for Mid and West Wales, said it would mean that nowhere in Wales could be safe from the threat of wind turbines.

"The vast majority of people in Wales do not want to see any more giant wind turbines or the inevitable conglomeration of electricity sub-stations, overhead power-lines and new roads being blasted through some of Wales' most striking landscape," she said.