MILFORD Haven has reached ‘turbine saturation point’, members of the county council’s planning committee were told last week.

Two applications for wind turbines, one at Rose Cottage Farm, Robeston West, and one at Woodson, Lower Thornton, were refused, following concerns over the ‘cumulative impact’ of turbines in the area.

The first, a 250kw turbine measuring 45metres to blade tip, would have been visible from Milford Haven, Johnston, Dale, and Angle, and both the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (PCNPA) and Walwyn’s Castle community council had objected on visual grounds.

Although planning officer Ceri Jones said the turbine would only result in a ‘moderate effect’ on the local landscape when viewed in isolation, which would not be reason enough to refuse, he said the cumulative impact "would represent the further spread of large vertical industrial structures” in the area.

He said Milford Haven no longer had the capacity to accommodate more turbines.

Addressing members, the applicant's agent said he failed to see how one more turbine would make a difference, when set against a background of turbines and refineries.

He added that a number of turbines turned down at committee level recently, only to be later approved at appeal, which was a waste of everyone's time and money.

Cllr Keith Lewis’ suggestion that a site visit would be helpful was turned down, and the application was refused.

Similar concerns were also raised to an application for a 500kw 74-metre turbine in Lower Thornton.

Objections were received from PCNPA, community councils in Tiers Cross and Walwyn’s Castle, and local people.

Cllr Brian Hall pointed out that the turbine ‘would obviously stand out more than the last one’ and members agreed to refuse the application.