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Expert says work on Mynydd y Betws windfarm must stop

7:30am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in News

ALL construction work around the recently-discovered Neolithic stone row at Mynydd y Betws must come to an immediate halt, according to one of the UK’s leading heritage law experts.

Peter Alexander-Fitzgerald, of Rescue – The British Archaeological Trust – has called for Carmarthenshire county council to use its powers to stop all work until a full survey of the area is carried out.

"The planning authority should apply for an Article Four Direction under the Town and Country Planning Order to stop all further work on the site," Mr Alexander-Fitzgerald told the Guardian.

"A full survey must be carried out.

"I find it incredible that the developer’s archaeologists found nothing of importance on the site – you would have to be blind to have missed this stone alignment.

"You do not even have to go there – the alignment is visible on Google Earth’s satellite pictures of the area.

"The developer’s archaeologists have obviously carried out a Level One desk-based assessment and reached the conclusion that there is nothing there to save."

A Level One assessment involves examining paper records to discover what finds have previously been noted on the site. However it does not involve actually visiting or inspecting the site.

"A full Level Two survey needs to carried out at the site."

"This alignment appears extremely reminiscent of similar ones found on Dartmooor and would possibly have a stone circle at one end."

Mr Alexander-Fitzgerald confirmed that the discovery of the 500-yard stone row – believed to be up to 5,000 years old – could well point to the area being of huge archaeological and historical importance.

"I would be rather concerned that the view seems to be that there is only one thing up there. These things tend to be associated with other significant sites," he added.

"It may be that none of the parts are of major significance on their own, but when put together, the various parts come to form a landscape of major importance."

Comments(13)

Geoff Moore says...
11:29am Wed 1 Feb 12

With reference to Mynydd y Betws. When will Huw Lewis and John Griffiths, two ministers now linked by the problems of the Windfarm, realise that gigantic mistakes have taken place from planning at the beginning, to the debacle up to date. The archaeological survey was obviously not done to the required standard which brings the judgement of the Inspector into question. He was obviously mislead on this issue. He was also mislead by the understanding that there was no problem with the access road on the A474 which is under investigation. NOW is the time that they should get together, put a stop on the project and hold a public enquiry. I have written many times to John Griffiths and a couple of times to Huw Lewis. All they need to do is TALK TO US.

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Bara Lawr says...
6:55pm Wed 1 Feb 12

It certainly appears that gross negligence or even worse has taken place.
This needs investigating as well as a complete ground survey.

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Red Grouse says...
10:42pm Wed 1 Feb 12

Can we believe ANYTHING that wind industry shysters tell us?

We have seen repeated examples of dodgy photomontages, exaggerated output forecasts, grossly inaccurate background noise measurements and all sorts of dodgy "reports" sponsored by the wind industry on everything from effects on health, to economic benefits and property values.

These people make estate agents and bankers look like models of decency!

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mapreader says...
12:54pm Thu 2 Feb 12

This sort of thing tends to be only too common. And its not just wind farms

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someguyfromwales@yahoo.co.uk says...
12:52pm Sun 5 Feb 12

2006 application

Cambria Archaeology - Gravely concerned that environmental assessment of archaeological aspects was inadequate, particularly with respect to identification of unrecorded features, and the effects of the proposed development on the settings of both scheduled ancient monuments and the historic landscape. The site includes ancient monuments which have recently been recognised by Cadw as being of national importance, including groups of funerary monuments which form part of a relict Bronze Age landscape which appears to have been little impacted on by later activity. Guidance has been given to the applicant to assist further archaeological assessment.

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someguyfromwales@yahoo.co.uk says...
12:53pm Sun 5 Feb 12

Cadw - Concerned that the ES fails to provide sufficient information to enable a comprehensive assessment of the impact that the proposed development will have on the historic environment. Considers that the proposed development would have a substantial impact on the settings of scheduled ancient monuments and on the wider historic environment, and that this impact has not been addressed in the ES. Several inaccuracies are also identified.

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someguyfromwales@yahoo.co.uk says...
12:54pm Sun 5 Feb 12

The Betws Mountain Preservation Group's response referred to the following:-

Procedural uncertainty due to delay in submission of the ES; identified conflicts with seven UDP policies; noted that the site was outside the Pontardawe Strategic Search Area identified in TAN 8; queried forecasts of electricity generation; was concerned at lack of consultation with the Health and Safety Executive; the shortness of time between the applicant's public exhibition and the submission of the planning application; inadequate survey of wind characteristics, geology, inc. mining, ecology, hydrology and ground conditions; probable road closure during construction; visual dominance of proposed turbines and adverse effect on recreation; probable damage to archaeological sites; slowness of vegetation recovery following construction; loss of amenity to walkers; conflict between safety and public access; lack of information to assess impact of very large turbines on tourism. The response concluded by stating that the destruction of the landscape would be disproportionate to the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

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someguyfromwales@yahoo.co.uk says...
12:55pm Sun 5 Feb 12

Local members

Cllr J D Evans (Betws) - Considers the uncertainties resulting from past mineworking under the site have been underestimated, and supplied detailed information in support of this. He also considers that the visual assessment under estimates the importance of Betws Mountain as a recreational area, and that the safety of walkers during construction is also an issue.

Cllr K Madge (Garnant) - Now supports the application due to the urgent need to use new sources of energy.

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someguyfromwales@yahoo.co.uk says...
12:56pm Sun 5 Feb 12

Cambria Archaeology - Recommend refusal on the grounds that the impact of the development on the historic environment of Mynydd Y Betws will be severe and is unacceptable; and without the Environmental Statement including the required assessment of this historical, cultural and archaeological landscape, the planning application is inadequately documented.

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someguyfromwales@yahoo.co.uk says...
12:59pm Sun 5 Feb 12

Local Members

Cllr J D Evans (Betws) - concerned due to:- difficulty of land restoration at the end of the project, ground stability due to past mining, impact on wildlife, agriculture, hydrology, recreation, archaeological heritage, house prices, health, especially due to noise, and road safety during construction. He suggested that members visit the site and consider cumulative impact, having regard to wind farm proposals at Mynydd-y-Gwair and near Pontardawe, that they also visit a large wind farm in mid-Wales, similar in character, and that a public inquiry would provide the best means of ensuring a fair decision. (See also 2. below.)

Cllr K Madge (Garnant) - objected due to impact on an area of outstanding environmental and scenic value, to impact of noise, and to the inadequacy of the community benefit offer.

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Geoff Moore says...
2:09pm Sun 5 Feb 12

All the above comments about the Mynydd y Betws windfarm point to the same thing. The judgement made by the inspector at the Inquiry, which came out in favour of the windfarm, was made using information which was misleading. Therefore the decision made has BECOME UNSAFE. I have stressed this to Mr Griffiths AM on several occasions and also to other AM's. This matter needs positive action by the Welsh Government and Carmarthen CC. While all the talk continues, the damage to the mountain and Welsh heritage continues. I, for one, with the support of the villages along the A474 EMPLORE members of the government to step in now, get out there and see the damage for yourself. THIS MUST STOP NOW.

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stick4motion says...
6:16pm Sun 5 Feb 12

You are right. The development must stop now.
It is obvious that this is a major archaeological discovery. Besides its obvious historic importance, the monuments could prove to be a huge sustainable tourist attraction.

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stick4motion says...
6:17pm Sun 5 Feb 12

New Facebook page to save Mynydd y Betws,
https://www.facebook
.com/pages/Save-the-
Mynydd-y-Betws-Neoli
thic-Site/3703999629
76138

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