MONTGOMERYSHIRE is a dramatically beautiful place, blessed with special landscapes which have attracted millions of visitors.
These landscapes are soon to undergo the biggest change since the oak forests were felled to make ships and pit props.
The Assembly Government has decreed that these landscapes are going to become home to about 1,000 extra wind turbines, and a hideous, value destroying 400kv electricity cable, carried on huge steel towers, terminating in a 20-acre substation somewhere within a few miles of Newtown.
My aim in this Politically Speaking column is to make readers aware of what’s coming.
I , personally have always been opposed to building windfarms on this scale in Mid Wales.
When it was first proposed by the Assembly Government in the form of planning guidance to local councils – usually referred to as TAN 8, I was Conservative Planning, Environment and Countryside Spokesman in the Assembly and led the opposition. But we Conservatives were outvoted by all the other parties, acting together, and the current policy was established.
So far not much has happened on the ground. There has been more ‘hot air’ than ‘wind power’ created. But in a few weeks time, the first really big change will be upon us. National Grid will announce the site of its Mid Wales substation.
This will be no ordinary development. The substation will be 350 metres by 250 metres in size. That’s about 20 acres – or about 13 football pitches.
We were expecting to be told where this substation is to be built six months ago, but National Grid inform me that a site has been difficult to identify.
I’m not surprised. But a decision is now on the point of being finalised, and an announcement is likely in October. There is a similar development near Chester, and I’m planning to visit next month. I hope the local press will come along.
A second big decision that I expect in October is where the other end of this cable joins the national network. I have always believed that it will be at Ironbridge, but this is not yet confirmed.
I don’t know whether National Grid will announce the ‘corridor’ within which the 400 kv line will be built – but readers will be able to draw a line between the Grid connection and the substation for themselves.
They will probably not be too far out. These announcements are going to cause a mighty uprising of outrage and objection mixed with despair.
As Montgomeryshire’s MP, I have to think carefully about how I respond to this.
I remain deeply sceptical about the benefits of onshore wind, but realise that the Assembly Government properly and democratically forced through its decision to proceed with TAN 8.
I also realise many of the windfarms (those over 50 megawatt production) will be decided by the Westminster Government, but it makes little difference.
The policy context against which proposals will be judged is set by the Assembly Government.
I also have a duty to try to secure as much community benefit out of the windfarm companies as possible. But I cannot escape from my personal long-held opinion that the whole onshore windfarm infrastructure is going to be economically and environmentally damaging to Montgomeryshire.