Welsh Ministers have approved a milestone application to create an 85MW wind farm and energy storage facility in Garn Fach, south of Newton in Powys.
Savills Cardiff supported the application for the scheme on behalf of EDF Renewables UK, which referred to the decision as ‘a major step forward in our commitment to renewable energy and combatting climate change in Wales’.
The 17 state-of-the-art turbine project will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to meet the equivalent needs of 69,000 average UK homes. An energy storage facility onsite will also support flexible capacity and the integration of the renewable energy onto the national grid.
EDF Renewables UK’s Director for Onshore Wind, Jon O’Sullivan said:
“We are pleased that the Welsh Government has approved our planning application for Garn Fach Wind Farm. The site is an excellent location for a wind farm and has the potential to make a significant positive impact in Wales and to the local community.”
Jack Pugsley specialises in planning for energy and infrastructure and led on the project on behalf of Savills Cardiff. He commented:
“In recommending the application for approval, the Inspector recognised that the importance of peat increased as a consequence of changes to national planning policy during its examination. Notwithstanding that, in approving the application, the Cabinet Secretary agreed with the applicant that the scheme meets the high test of being ‘wholly exceptional’, due to its contribution to the Welsh Government’s renewable energy targets, and overall improvement in the peatland resource on the site.
“The Inspector noted that the need case, as set out in Savills’ Planning Statement addendum, was compelling, which, together with input from the rest of the project team, provided a clear case for permission to be granted. This is a welcome decision that reflects positively on the hard work and commitment of the entire project team.”
The wider benefits of Garn Fach Wind Farm include job creation, the development of new footpaths and cycle tracks across the site, and creation of a visitor car park for enhanced accessibility. A community fund worth over £10M will be established over the lifetime of the project and the scheme encompasses on-site biodiversity net benefit.
