Victory in first round of wind turbine fight (From South Wales Guardian)
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Victory in first round of wind turbine fight
5:00pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in News
MAKING THEIR POINT: Two young protesters at last week’s meeting.
MEMBERS of a group opposing the erection of a wind turbine at Caerbryn say they have won the first round of their battle after Llandybie community councillors voted 7-1 against it.
Local businessman Alan Davies, who runs D J Davies Fuels Ltd, argues that the turbine – on land off Pantyblodau Road – will secure 35 jobs as the power generated would slash electricity costs.
And in July he said that, having listened to residents’ concerns, the turbine would now be 16m smaller and situated further away from a public footpath.
But last week councillors voted against the application 7-1, with seven abstentions, on learning that the mast could be placed anywhere within 30m of the proposed site, making it within 284m of the nearest house and possibly as near as 254m.
As members of the Saron, Llandybie and Penygroes action group – SLAP – staged a silent protest outside the council offices, councillors were given an illustrated presentation on the “overbearing”
impact a 60.8m wind turbine would have on the residents of Caerbryn and surrounding villages.
SLAP spokesperson Angela Bowler said protesters were “very pleased” at the outcome of the council vote and were grateful to councillors and their other supporters.
“Since May, we have campaigned tirelessly against this proposal,” she said.
“Although the original application was for a 77m turbine and this has since been amended, local residents are still faced with the potential for a 60.8m turbine sited on a hill 35m, high making it virtually the same size as Big Ben.
“As it would be at a distance to property of just over 250m, a number of people will be effected by noise and the shadow flicker effect.”
The proposal is expected to be considered by county planners next month.
Comments(2)
johnsouthwales
says...
9:09pm Sun 16 Sep 12
blade shadow has an unusual effect as no tow turbines are the same, but i have seen some myself and after two minutes of observing the last one last week, it is mesmerising, alost hypnotic and then i had to stop looking because it was getting on my nerves, and there was a 500 metre gap between me and the turbine. what was occuring was because of a summer sun and the angle at that time of afternoon, it was giving an impression that a shadow was forming on the tower itself each rotation of one blade, so there were 3 seperate shadows forming on the tower per whole rotation. and they were visible from 500 metres, so i was viewing the tower from side on, depending which way you look, they're both the same. white, darker, white, darker, white, darker. maybe they get lucky if nobody views it from this angle but i shan't hold my breath. it all depends which way the blades are facing. someone is bound to see a different effect than someone else. kings road shouldn't really see any glare as the sun is facing on it from dayrise, but maybe unlucky in the evening to when the sun is close to setting.
if the wind travels more than 56mph, it shut;s down, so they can't be safeguarding the 35 jobs as they won't be producing any. same as when there is no wind at all.
and the government agency has actually admitted a turbine does affect property value.
i totally agree it will be overbearing for the residents of caerbryn terrace lus the nearby farm, that has always been the case. reducing it by 17m is slightly miniscule over longer range, from 500m is about an inch on the eye
Meirion says...
1:42pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Five County Councillors who knowingly withheld this matter of public interest from the public during the May elections will have an opportunity to show their true colours in the Council Chamber on jail hill.
As we await the nailing of their colours to the mast; I make it known to residents of Glynhir Road and Kings Road, Llandybie that this will be dominating their uninterrupted views of the Mynydd Mawr. This blight on the landscape and the reflection flashes will also affect them in as much as other surrounding areas.