As plans for a windfarm on the outskirts of Blaenavon remain outstanding, councillors in Powys have called on the Welsh Government to pause wind energy planning applications in the county.

At a full council meeting this week, a motion will be placed before councillors asking for the Welsh Government to pause applications until it has answered three important aspects for developing these energy projects.

These applications, which are considered as Developments of National Significance (DNS), are processed by Welsh Government Planning Inspectors at PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) who advise a government minister on what decision to take.

Powys County Council is only a statutory consultee in this process but is able to provide a Local Impact Report (LIR) on a DNS application allowing it to feed into the process, by explaining what it thinks planning inspectors should take careful note of when deciding the application, as well as suggesting conditions to place on any eventual permission.

The motion states: “Powys calls on the Welsh Government to pause its open invitation to submit any more DNS applications for major onshore wind farms in Powys....until the Government clearly sets out how it will ensure that cumulative impact including the associated infrastructure across all outstanding DNS applications is to be properly managed and considered.’

“The existing case by case basis cannot keep pace with the rate at which competing applications are emerging, leaving communities unconvinced that the declared presumption in favour of large-scale projects will adequately protect their interests which is undermining confidence in the impartiality of the planning system.

In August Torfaen council agreed to object to the proposal for the Coity Mountain due to the potential impact on the Blaenavon World Heritage Site of the turbines which would measure up to 200 metres to their blade height and which could pose as a possible threat to the status.