My intention was to start winding down this blog, spend more time with my wife, grand-children, Malbec, books, but things keep cropping up. That said, it’s very unlikely I shall undertake major new investigations. Diolch yn fawr.
♦
As you can see this contribution is an anonymous guest post from another Welsh community being threatened by foreign-owned wind turbines erected – we are told – to save the planet, but providing no benefits whatsoever to Wales.
You’ll also see that the writer seeks help from someone who is clever, cheap, and cheerful. Well, I’m certainly clever, and I don’t charge, but whether I’m cheerful depends on a number of factors. Such as whether anybody’s pissed me off, how the Swans are doing, the latest lunacies out of Corruption Bay, and whether I’ve had a glass or twa or the Argentine nectar.
The area affected by the proposed wind turbines is inland of Abergele. Not far from Llanfair Talhaiarn, of blesséd memory. For many, many years ago a gang of us hired a Ford Transit van in Swansea and did a wee tour of the area. We were headed for Squire Wynne’s place at Garthewin.
Anyway, we got a bit boisterous in one the Llanfair pubs and were ejected. (Can you believe that!) So we made a dash for the village’s other pub. But like a scene from a Bergman movie, as we drew near, the big front door was slowly closed with a deathly creak.
The bastard in the first pub had obviously phoned ahead!
Happy days!
Now read on . . .
♦
ENGLISH VERSION
250 Metre Onshore Wind Turbines – Paradise Lost or Paradise Regained?
I had a strange and surreal ‘Mabinogion’ or ‘Under Milk Wood’ type dream last night, I was talking to an industrial wind energy company representative from another country. Rather he was condescending whereas I was rendered gobsmacked (the correct technical term to describe this state eludes me). He took undue delight in telling me that the Welsh Government designation of pre-assessed status for wind energy generation afforded to my home (Future Wales Plan 2040) gave his company ‘presumed consent’ to build a huge industrial wind site, unprecedented in size and scale. This entails placing 250-metre-high turbines (Bendigeidfran – like but without getting his feet wet) extending some 3 or 4 miles across the beautiful hinterland of rural Conwy and all this barely 700 metres from our front door and newly established small glamping business.
The dream became more bizarre. This ‘pre-assessed’ status, based on prior Development Framework Plans and an evidential basis we are still awaiting full sight of was sanctioned in February 2021 during a global pandemic. This status was apparently not known to our Assembly Member, neither of the respective two county councillors, nor three relevant community councils whose parishes had acquired the prestigious accolade of being sacrificed as collateral damage, to save the planet by selling our landscape, ecology, souls, livelihood, and wellbeing to finance the unfaltering altruism of multi -national constellations of hedge fund and venture capitalists.
In fact, we shouldn’t have known about it at all, but for the integrity and courtesy of good neighbours who had received a ‘Noise Agreement’ to sign along with an annual financial incentive. We then became aware that the company had been in negotiations with several landowners since September 2020, nine months earlier. I understand that the recognised industry terminology or parlance to describe this practice is ‘public engagement and consultation’, requiring no doubt years of university education to hone the required skills.
The dream became a nightmare. We have inadvertently found ourselves bound in a Sisyphean Greek fable, attempting whilst blind folded to complete a highly complex – albeit extremely interesting – jigsaw, without as yet the benefit of the complete picture. Further exacerbated by the inevitable one or two critical pieces lurking in the dark corners under the sofa cushions destined to remain forever hidden or inadvertently coming to light when seeking the TV remote control.
Who would have thought that I’d be rapidly including ‘Clean Energy?’ to my limited but highly exclusive repertoire of specialist subjects for any potential Mastermind invitation (alongside cast on techniques in fair isle knitting and Sunday School sol – ffa if you’re interested). Topics include constraint payments (money for switching them off), wildlife and ecology impacts including flooding risks, overseas production, the mining of precious metals, visual and noise pollution … and all the pioneering developments in more effective and efficient clean energy options.
It’s clearly a long time since I was in school, but not quite that long ago that I couldn’t see that the maths nor the logic didn’t quite add up. In focusing on hitting targets, it seems to me that we are in danger of missing the point and losing all common sense within the unquestioned and well -rehearsed Mantra.
We haven’t objected to smaller scale local initiatives, it’s the unprecedented size and scale of this proposal and what it will herald that is of concern. Of course, we’ll be labelled as NIMBYs, (whereas FISBY ‘Fine In Someone else’s Back Yard especially if I get paid for it’ is perfectly acceptable though not as catchy), whilst the developer will be welcomed as a returning Messiah laden with gifts and distributing charity and largesse to the grateful natives.
Please someone wake me up and tell me it’s all a bad dream or if as I fear, this is our new reality – is there someone out there who could help give a small rural community a fighting chance with this? We need someone clever (essential); cheap (essential) and cheerful (preferably). Thank you for reading.
Chwarae Teg – Hen Dro Sal
Jac’s PS: A new company has been formed for this project, Moelfre Energy Park Ltd (they’re not called wind farms any more). The single share issued, thus far, is held by Bute Energy (Cambria) Ltd. Look at the directors of Moelfre Energy Park and Bute Energy (Cambria) Ltd and you’ll see some Edinburgh gents who have appeared on this blog before. Read Corruption in the wind 2, Labour snouts in the trough.
∼ ♦ ∼
FERSIWN GYMRAEG
Tyrbeinau Gwynt Tir 250 Metr – Adennill Paradwys ynteu Paradwys Coll?
Cefais freuddwyd Dan y Wenallt a Mabinogaidd ei naws, enbyd o od neithiwr. Roeddwn yn siarad efo cynrychiolydd cwmni gwynt diwydiannol o wlad arall, wel i ddweud y gwir ‘roedd o’n nawddoglyd a finna’n gegrwth.
Ymhyfrydodd wrth ddweud wrthai fod statws dynodedig ynni gwynt Llywodraeth Cymru (Cynllun Cymru’r Dyfodol 2040) fy nghynefin, yn sicrhau ‘caniatad wedi ei ragdybio’ i’w gwmni, adeiladu maes ynni gwynt diwydiannol, cwbl ddigynsail o ran maint a graddfa. Gosod tyrbeinau 250 metr o uchder (megis Bendigeidfran ond heb wlychu’i draed) ar draws 3 – 4 milltir berfeddwlad hyfrytaf Conwy, a’r cyfan 700 metr o’n haelwyd a’n menter glampio bychan ni.
Aeth y freuddwyd yn fwy rhyfedd fyth. Cytunwyd ar yr ardaloedd dynodedig hyn, yn derfynol ym mis Chwefror 2021, ynghanol pandemig fyd eang. Er holi a holi rydym yn parhau i aros am y dystiolaeth lawn sy’n rhoi sail i’r penderfyniad.
Yn ol a ddeallwn nid oedd y statws yma yn wybyddus i’n haelod seneddol, nag i wleidyddion lleol na sirol, sydd a’u plwyfi breintiedig wedi eu dethol ar gyfer achub y blaned. Ac yn sgil hynny aberthu tirwedd ac ecoleg, a bywoliaeth, llesiant ac eneidiau ninnau drigolion – er mwyn ariannu anhunanoldeb dibendraw cytser rhyngwladol o gyfalafwyr menter.
Ni ddylem ni wybod hyd yn oed ‘rwan. Oni bai am hygrededd a chwrteisi cymdogion da a dderbyniodd ‘Gytundeb Swn’ gyda chymhelliant ariannol blynyddol i’w arwyddo, fe fyddwn ni dal yn y niwl. O dipyn i beth fe ddaeth yn amlwg fod trafodaethau y datblygwyr gyda thirfeddianwyr wedi cychwyn naw mis ynghynt. Deallaf mai’r terminoleg swyddogol o fewn y diwydiant ar gyfer yr arferion rhain ydy, ‘Ymgysylltu ac Ymgynghori gyda’r Cyhoedd’, sgiliau mae’n rhaid wrth flynyddoedd o addysg Prifysgol i’w mireinio siwr o fod.
Fe drodd y freuddwyd yn hunllef. Rydym yn gaeth mewn chwedl Roegaidd Sisyphean, yn ceisio llunio jig-so cymhleth (er un hynod diddorol), heb weld y llun cyfan, hyd yma. Yn anorfod mae na ddau neu dri o ddarnau coll yn celu yn nhragwyddoldeb ebargofiant encilion y soffa.
Pwy feddyliai y byddwn yn ychwanegu ‘Ynni Glan?” i’m repertoire cyfyng ond hynod ddethol ar gyfer y gwahoddiad Mastermind (ynghyd a dulliau gweu Fair Isle a Sol-Ffa Ysgol Sul). Mae’r meysydd llafur yn cynnwys, Taliadau Cyfyngiad (arian i’w diffodd); effeithiau ar fywyd gwyllt ac ecoleg gan gynnwys llifogydd, dulliau cynhyrchu gan gynnwys concrid a mwynau gwerthfawr, ynghyd a’r holl ddulliau amgen cyffrous sydd yn fwy effeithiol ac effeithlon.
Mae na amser maith er pan fues i’n ddisgybl ysgol ond nid cweit mor hir imi beidio a gweld nad ydy’r rhesymeg na’r syms yn taro deuddeg. Wrth ganolbwyntio’n unllygeidiog ar wireddu targedau mae’n amlwg imi ein bod yn methu’r pwynt a fod synnwyr cyffredin wedi diflannu o fewn y Mantra.
Nid ydym wedi gwrthwynebu datblygiadau eraill lleol, maint a graddfa y safle sydd yn ein dychryn. Wrth gwrs fe gawn ein collfarnu a’n labelu’n NIMBYs, (dydy’r term FISBY ‘Fine In Someone else’s Back Yard especially if I get paid for it’ ddim cweit mor fachog), tra chaiff y datblygwr, sy’n addo rhannu elusen a largesse i’r werin dlawd ond diolchgar, groeso y Meseia dychweledig.
Gall rhywun fy neffro o’r hunllef plis neu os mai dyma yw ein normal newydd oes rhywun gall gynnig cymorth i gymuned fechan wledig? Rydan ni angen rhywun clyfar (hanfodol), rhad (hanfodol) a llawen (dewisol). Diolch am ddarllen.
Chwarae Teg – Hen Dro Sal.
♦ end ♦
In the next day or two I shall bring out a supplementary piece explaining certain connections between wind farm developers, movers and shakers with political connections, and politicians making decisions on wind farms.
There is definitely corruption involved. The only question is: How far does this corruption reach?
I see ‘Anonymous Dafis’ now advises ‘Anonymous Non’ :- “You will become known anyway where it matters when you lodge formal appeals ..”. What a defeatist attitude and silly advice. Only the Developers can ‘ Appeal’ against a REFUSAL. The only way an Objector can challenge against an APPROVAL is by the extremely costly High Court Challenge System and only then challenge a legally faulted Approval. You cannot ever win these battles alone from a closet inside a bunker.
It’s also worth mentioning a previous comment here on this Blog about the Bryn Maesteg campaign being virtually a closed shop because of the real threat of – quote :- “intrusion by people with motives not aligned to those of the community. Lobbyists in disguise and other kind of malice aimed at diverting energies and killing enthusiasm”. I presume that is referring mainly to the crew that seized and ruined “YES CYMRU”. Yes, they would no doubt have exploited the Bryn situation, but they are yesterday’s people now – blown out and gone with the wind. If fear of them has impaired the Bryn fight then that’s another nail in Wales’ coffin at the hand of that weird crew to add to Jac’s excellent expose of those people who sadly destroyed YES CYMRU.
Don’t talk so bloody silly. That the habits of those pirates who took over Yes Cymru in some way resembles some of the antics of the people who are out to overcome objection to wind farms is purely coincidental. The fact remains that those types enjoy a “pile in” or “pile on” or whatever the fashionable term for coordinated assault is this week. People with genuine motives need to create a bit of space for themselves to get on with planning and executing activity which takes them forward not having to engage incessantly with the nutcases who would sabotage their efforts. They will be out in the open, visible to any part of the nation that cares, when they go to a High Court or perhaps march onto the land allocated to this piece of mischief and occupy it.
No doubt their A.S’s and M.P’s are all aware of what is going on in that area and should be getting their act together to represent constituent interests – of itself a novel concept these days.
Jac we all know the best of these blogs are Malbec-fuelled so I doubt you’re missing out much on that particular stitch of life’s rich tapestry!
Bore da Ioan and others. I have only just seen your comments Ioan. i do not want your valid concerns about my anonymity to deflect and detract from the importance of the subject matter. this is an alien environment for me in more ways than one, yours sincerely Non Davies
Exactly. You and others have a right to remain anonymous on sites such as this which are often monitored by hostile parties. You will become known anyway where it matters when you lodge formal appeals and other relevant information in your efforts to prevent this wasteful and anti social “investment”. Just keep up the good work, make sure that the information gets distributed. You don’t need to get all precious and start promoting your self otherwise you will attract unwanted attention from all the crackpots that inhabit the “piss and wind” community.
The “WG” renewable energy department sitting in their cosy Corruption Bay office cannot map read. Wilfully or for real? This will be a fabulous halfway marker between Snowdonia National Park and the soon to be promoted Clwydian AONB. And the 3 registered Historic Parks can make new vistas to the follies on the hill.
Our lives and livelihoods must be sacrificed for the greater good, Not sure if “greater good” is Welsh Ministers or “Future Generations”. I even wrote a rant to Julie James during the last public consultation before the NDF became Future Wales, because hidden in the text is that our homes can be purchased to make way for the FTSE wide boys. Just remember, the WG is prepared to treat its own residents as a pawn in a game of “green targets” and you will find strength.
When the first Policy was brought out by those numpties in Cardiff for massive Wind Turbine Zones across Wales’ Map it was called TAN8 (Planning Technical Advice Note Eight). After questions to the National Assembly (this was before they called themselves WAG or Senedd) they admitted they’d simply used a basic Road Atlas that showed very little infomation. That’s how stupid and thick they were and still are. All along they’ve used CAPACITY figures for OUTPUTS which means MAXIMUM possible in the most favourable of wind weather, and sunlight, when really Wind Turbines are on average only about 25% EFFECTIVE and Solar only just 10%. In fact the UK Government is now using CAPACITY for the proposed National Grid output to manage charging electric battery powered vehicles. With a lot of Renewables coming on line the Grid CAPACITY sounds fine on paper, but in reality the EFECTIVE amount of grid power that will be unavailable to supply homes, industry, commerce and vehicles. None of the current objecting protestors point this out. All they can do is hide in the shadows and whisper “Keep off our nice little hill!”. This is a fight for our nation and our future economy against moronic politicians and greedy foreign developers and incomer greenies, and native people just whimper in the shadows. Of course we are concerned about climate changes, and we’ve always had them, but covering little Wales with utterly ineffective Wind Turbines and Solar Panels will do zero nothing to stop it.
Around our coast are many areas of raised beaches and submerged forests caused by massive natural sea level changes. Wake up or shut up. We are dreaming our way to an energy and economic catastrophe and at the same time allowing the swine in to destroy our vineyard. That sounds familiar and obvious but nobody on either side is listening.
I think the plan is to declare the Clwydian Hills a new national park.
Does that mean that windfarms would have to find space between national parks ? or does renaming these monsters “energy parks” create scope for having a degree of overlap ? I can imagine a greasy entrepreneur having a funny turn just imagining some of our protected slopes being turned over to turbines.
I shouldn’t think that a change of name would make any difference. Wind turbines are what they are no matter what they’re called. But it’s difficult to see how wind turbines would be allowed on high ground between two national parks. Unless, of course, there’s a change in the rules on their visibility from national parks.
the sense we get is that this was very much an arbitrary desk top exercise – avoiding Eryri to the West and Bryniau Clwyd to the East especially as the MOD influenced the amending of Ynys Mon from wind to solar energy
I guess that if you were able to get the dark arms of the MOD to bind around you then the dodgy dealers wouldn’t even get down to the starting grid. Strange how some Departments of State just have that kind of power. An independent Wales would have even more clout about how its own turf gets used.
Thanks for your writings Jac.
Who did/would you vote for?
And what would your ideal manifsto be for the party you would?
Thanks.
I am a member of Gwlad.
Why are all these ‘protestors’ anonymous? Sorry – more like ‘onlookers’. They never give contact details e.g now this Conwy one and recently Bryn Maesteg. We fought Mynydd y Gwair in north Swansea for over 25 years and actually won respite for those 25 years by winning two costly Public Planning Inquiries after mass demonstrations and open conflict – a thousand plus people mustered on the top of the common land. We were winning until the Politicians and Developers finally threw everything at us with legal and politics of the highest level of financial resources. We always all named ourselves publicly as contacts. I’m now a 77 yr old and my name is Ioan Richard and my address is Bron y Mynydd, Heol y Mynydd, Craigcefnparc, Swansea and my phone is Swansea 843861. We never hid ourselves here. I’m willing to help with some advice but do not want any nonsense anonymous calls from greenies. Bryn and Conwy do not deserve to win if they cannot give any form of contact link! So come on – cough up your contact details publicly so we who know the facts and figures can openly get behind you. Don’t rely on any Politicians or main line Political Parties.
Calm down, Ioan. Check today’s WM.
I seem to recall a member of the Bryn Community posting some comments on here and indicating that there was some sort of online forum which people could access. Part of his problem, to which Ioan alludes above, was the intrusion by people with motives not aligned to those of the community. Lobbyists in disguise and other kind of malice aimed at diverting energies and killing enthusiasm. Life’s tough enough without cnuts like that dragging the protest down.
There’s a lot of money involved, Dafis, so there will be people ready to do anything to undermine or discredit the opposition to these wind farms, now rebranded ‘energy parks’. The people involved with this one at Moelfre have set up a string of companies in the past 18 months and the names suggest all these projects are in Wales.
Tywyn Hywel Energy Park Ltd, Banc Du Energy Park Ltd, Rhiwlas Energy Park Ltd, Bute Energy (Cambria) Ltd, Aberedw Energy Park Ltd, Moelfre Energy Park Ltd, Mwdwl Eithin Energy Park Ltd, Garreg Fawr Energy Park Ltd, Bryn Gilwern Energy Park Ltd, Nant Mithil Energy Park Ltd, Lan Fawr Energy Park Ltd, Waun Hesgog Energy Park Ltd, Esgair Galed Energy Park Ltd, Llyn Lort Energy Park Ltd, Nant Ceiment Energy Park Ltd, Nant Aman Energy Park Ltd, Tarenni Energy Park Ltd, Grayling Capital Holdings Ltd
And it’s all been done through using a lobbyist with insider Labour connections. I’d call it corruption. In fact, that’s what I shall call it in the piece that will be out on Wednesday.
Your spot on, corrupt politicians
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2587450321563234/?ref=share
Nine hours since my POST above and not one single person has come forward out of their anonymity or contacted me, and JAC as for your comment about – “Check today’s WM.” – I cannot find it on the ‘WM’ web site ‘Wales Online’ – so please give us the LINK. What are they petrified about? Have Lesley and the Developers got them like rabbits in primed gun sights?
There was a letter in today’s WM saying very much what is in the article and her name is Non Davies.
Then how are they in
Through the vagaries of the electoral system.
I do have a lot of sympathy with us all, but the labour party was voted in you reap what you sow
Only a minority of those who voted voted Labour. Less than 20% of the electorate.