Formal objection to Tirgwynt wind farm application 

Conservation of Upland Powys was formed by people living within the county, our members range from families that have farmed the same land for generations to those who have more recently chosen the tranquillity, beauty and quality of mid-Wales life for their home. Our diverse membership, from all ages and all walks of life, shares the commitment to preserve the unspoilt uplands of Powys from inappropriate development for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone. We have inherited the timeless beauty of these landscapes from our forebears and we recognise our duty to hand these pristine landscapes and environments on to future generations in the same, or better condition as we received them. The proliferation of wind turbines is a serious current and long-term threat to upland wildlife, landscapes and the ways of life that they support. We base our statements and conclusions on real world evidence and find none to support the contention that wind farms will provide secure, reliable electricity or reduce carbon dioxide levels.

To begin we refer you to The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study which is a major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity, to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward. http://www.teebweb.org/

The access to information in the EIA is grossly inadequate and not in keeping with Equal Opportunities or Social Inclusion legislation.

The fragmentation of information throughout numerous volumes and chapters of the application makes the assimilation of information time consuming and arduous. We question whether the information provided by the developers complies with DDA regulations and whether it is reasonable to expect local people to pay to be able to study the information; or alternatively travel to the nearest large town to view the ES for a short period. This and the other similar applications do not comply with Equal Opportunities or Social Inclusion objectives identified by Westminster and The National Assembly For Wales. With the best will in the world it would be almost impossible for any member of the public to study the documents in the Powys County Council Offices; the documents are difficult to navigate. We also point out that in the hardcopy some pages are not numbered and in the DVD copy the index/contents page does not work electronically: such simple matters left undone, but an example of the standard of this piece of work.

We conclude from information assimilated so far that this application is disproportionate, causing severe degradation of the landscape and social and economic dislocation for only a marginal, or even illusory, benefit. The layout is in conflict with the area and even with other applications. The LANDMAP description of Esgair Cwm Owen Uplands uses positive adjectives (harmonious, attractive) in contrast to adjacent upland areas where wind farms are sited. …

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