Dear Friends

Any power station with a capacity of 50 MW needs no local planning consent but can be authorised on the nod of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.  Unfortunately, a large wind ‘farm’ can come into this category, even though everyone knows that the theoretical capacity of 50 MW from wind turbines means a real average output of less than 30% of that.

The Energy Minister Brian Wilson has just indicated that the DTI will give the go-ahead to just such a wind ‘farm’ at Cefn Croes in Ceredigion, Mid Wales – 39 turbines each 300 feet high. He has refused a public inquiry despite huge local opposition.

Some of the finest wild landscape in Wales will be industrialised at a stroke, which is tragic in itself. But the implications go beyond Ceredigion and beyond Wales. If the DTI can rubber stamp huge wind ‘farms’ without any planning process or public inquiry, we can say good-bye to our coastal and upland landscape EVERYWHERE, because it is the DTI itself which promotes wind ‘farms’. Until now the vast majority of large wind projects have been rejected by local planning committees and planning inspectors have usually upheld the decision. If Cefn Croes goes through without inquiry, expect a “50MW” wind ‘farm’ on your coast or hill soon, without any possibility of opposition.

Please write now to Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, 
1, Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET urging her to hold a public inquiry into the proposal to erect 39 wind turbines at Cefn Croes, Ceredigion, Wales, and registering your opposition to the grant of consent to any such project without the arguments being weighed in public and without local people having the opportunity to express their view. You need only write 5 lines but let her know that people care. If we don’t make the effort because the hassle is too great, we will get the landscape we deserve. I know from past experience that Country Guardian members do write and that is why the hopes of the wind industry have been largely frustrated.  Please – pick up the pen again and get your friends to write too. This is a very important one.
 

Best wishes
Robert Woodward
(Vice Chairman)
Aubrey House
Riverside,
Twickenham,
Middlesex,  TW1 3DS
28th December 2001