'Illegal' turbine

Out of the sixteen objections listed in my letter, the main one was that the site at Clegyrn farm was too close to many residential properties in the vicinity, for instance Gwelvor at some 280m in distance, Bryn Clegyrn at 320m and properties at Panteg. The aerogenerator (wind turbine) is 34.2 m (from ground to tip) and I therefore suggest that it is in breach of the Wind Turbine Minimum Distance Act 2010, of which it comes under category A in the below list as it clearly has not been sited the minimum distance required of 1000m from any adjacent property. How and why was planning granted when the independent inspector to the Welsh Assembly was against its construction? Could the erection of the Clegryn turbine actually be illegal?

The Act states that planning permission is not granted if the turbine is; A) Greater than 25m but does not exceed 50m - the minimum distance requirement is 1000m B) Greater than 50m but does not exceed 100m - the minimum distance requirement is 1500m C) Greater than 100m but does not exceed 150m - the minimum distance requirement is 2000mD) Greater than 150m - the minimum distance requirement is 3000m Having read Peter Arkle’s letter of plight (County Echo, 11th May), it appears that four turbines of much larger dimensions (60m in height) are being proposed at Pen-y-banc Castlemorris (some 350m from his doorstep) which would ruin his retirement plans and further bespoil our beautiful countyside and possibly threaten tourism for the National Park which is only 1 √ miles away. Taking the above Act into consideration, the nearest property from a turbine at Pen-y-banc would therefore have to be a minimum distance of 1500m and not the 350m from Mr Arkle’s doorstep. Pembrokeshire County Council must follow the rule of law in respect of the Pen-y-banc proposal, but hopefully if we can vigorously campaign by supporting S.T.O.P. (Stop Turbines On Pen-y-banc), it won’t get to that stage.

Leon Olin Goodwick,