THE AMMAN Valley will soon be counting the cost of the Assembly's decision to call in the Mynydd y Betws wind farm planning application, it has been revealed this week.

The area was set to benefit from a £5 million contribution from the company behind the proposals, Eco2, had Carmarthenshire Council's decision to approve the plans stood.

But since the application was called in by Assembly chiefs, that figure looks set to drop drastically - much to the disgust of community leaders, who have been left fuming by the Assembly's decision.

Eco2 chief executive David Williams said the delay the decision will bring and the spiralling cost of wind farms means the company cannot guarantee the £200,000 per year contribution - set to be made over 25 years and totalling £5 million - will still be viable.

"Wind turbine prices have gone up 30%, year on year, over the past two years," he said. "If that continues, the cost will be a lot more than we originally thought by the time the Assembly has decided.

"That's not to say we will not be contributing to the community, but the extra delay has to be taken into consideration."

News of the Assembly's decision has outraged community leaders, who said a number of local schemes relying on the wind farm money had been put in jeopardy.

"This is absolutely scandalous, there is no way that the Assembly should have called this scheme in," said Garnant county councillor Kevin Madge.

"Someone must have been putting pressure on the Assembly and, in doing so, has put a number of fantastic schemes in the Amman Valley at great risk.

"When you look at this amount of money, and then consider how much can be made through match funding, the Amman Valley has lost out on a substantial sum."

Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM said: "I am pleased this application has been called in by the Assembly. There has been a lot of concern among local residents, whom I have been in contact with.

"The TAN 8 strategy has been very problematic and I am pleased that there is a commitment to review it in the One Wales Government.

"This is now a matter that we must wait for the Minister to rule on."