RWE npower Wins Legal Battle Over Welsh Wind Farm
RWE npower has won a legal battle to build the tallest onshore wind farm in Wales after it was blocked by the Welsh Government.
RWE npower wants to build a wind farm consisting of 19 wind turbines 127 metres high on land at Mynydd y Gwair, Felindre, near Swansea. However, the proposal was rejected by Swansea Council and the planning inspector backed the decision.
The energy company appealed against the original decision and a judge has now said that this appeal should be reconsidered. He ruled that the original reason for rejecting the wind farm was deficient. It had been argued that the common land was an important habitat of peat bog and that a wind farm would have a detrimental effect on it.
Despite the judge’s ruling he rejected another claim from RWE npower Renewables over suggested changes to common land in the region.
If the wind farm is permitted to be built on the land then RWE npower Renewables says it will generate sufficient electricity for 28,000 homes each year. The site has been identified as an ideal place for a wind farm because of its strong and steady winds.
Swansea Council took over a year to reject the planning application and as a result RWE npower started an appeal in October 2009 claiming that the decision was taking too long. The Welsh Government then rejected the appeal and consequently the energy company decided to opt for a judicial review.
A spokesman for RWE npower said the decision was an “important step” in the development of the wind farm. He said “This legal challenge focused on the inspector’s decision making and conclusions. The conclusions did not follow logically from the evidence presented at the inquiry and the information recorded by the inspector. This outcome now questions the minister’s decision to reject planning permission, based on recommendations from the inspector’s report”.
It’s not clear whether the wind farm will eventually be granted planning approval but the wind turbines set to be used for the wind farm are still 27m higher than the guidelines for the area.