England’s wind turbines – in Wales!

My intention was to start winding down this blog, spend more time with my wife, grand-children, books, Malbec . . . but things keep cropping up. That said, it’s very unlikely I shall undertake major new investigations. Diolch yn fawr.

Last week, I introduced you to the Bute empire, based in Edinburgh and London, which, under a variety of company names, is planning many new wind farms in Wales.

This week’s piece is partly a recap, partly putting a new slant on things, and partly some fresh thoughts on the unequal relationship between Wales and England.

MAPPING IT OUT

Here are the location-specific Bute Energy companies, sixteen in all, each with a link to the relevant Companies House entry. Is there a project near you?

Twyn Hywel Energy Park Ltd / Rhiwlas Energy Park Ltd / Banc Du Energy Park Ltd / Aberedw Energy Park Ltd / Moelfre Energy Park Ltd / Mwdwl Eithin Energy Park Ltd / Garreg Fawr Energy Park LtdBryn Gilwern Energy Park Ltd Nant Mithil Energy Park LtdLan Fawr Energy Park LtdWaun Hesgog Energy Park Ltd Esgair Galed Energy Park Ltd Llyn Lort Energy Park LtdNant Ceiment Energy Park LtdNant Aman Energy Park LtdTarenni Energy Park Ltd

The full list of recent company formations, and other background information, can be found here.

I’ve now drawn up a map showing what I hope is the correct location of each of Bute’s planned wind farms. I can’t be absolutely sure because in most cases all we have is a company name, and that name could fit a number of locations.

The names Rhiwlas and Moelfre, for example, can be found in many locations.

But by ruling out urban areas, National Parks, etc., etc . . .

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To help them build these wind farms, Bute’s head honcho, Oliver James Millican, and his constantly growing band expect help from both Labour Party insider David James Taylor and Lesley Griffiths MS, the Minister for Rural Affairs in the self-styled ‘Welsh Government’.

I’m not exactly sure what’s expected from Taylor, but he’s been made a Member of Grayling Capital LLP, and he’s also been given shares in Windward Enterprises Ltd, both in his own name and that of his company Moblake Associates Ltd.

Taylor seems to be paying himself some £200,000 a year from Moblake Ltd but the skeletal accounts give no indication of where the money originates. Though, strictly speaking, and quoting the ‘accounts’, the money is, ‘an interest free loan and does not have a repayment date’.

But seeing as Taylor is the sole Moblake director, and holds the only share, for him to ‘repay’ Moblake would just be transferring money from one pocket to another.

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From Ms Griffiths Millican and whoever he might be working with obviously expect planning permissions. I’m not for one minute suggesting favouritism, let alone inducements. It’s simply that, as we saw when she overruled the Planning Inspector’s decision on Hendy Wind Farm, she has the final say.

Griffiths and Taylor are well known to each other. It would be unusual if they weren’t, seeing as they belong to the same political party and are both from the north east. Here’s Taylor out canvassing for Lesley Griffiths in the 2016 Welsh Assembly elections.

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A WEE DIGRESSION, BUT INTERESTING

Something I didn’t explore in the previous post was the fact that Taylor, Griffiths, Sophie Howe (Commissioner for Greenwash), and others, were on the same side before and after the Carl Sargeant suicide in November 2017.

This picture below, from 2014/15, shows, left to right, Carl Sargeant, Sophie Howe, a former Spad to Sargeant (though when the photo was taken she was deputy to former MP Alun Michael, the South Wales PCC), Lesley Griffiths, and Leighton Andrews AM for Rhondda, who lost his seat in 2016 to Leannein Wood.

David Taylor worked as a Spad or trouser presser for Andrews, and his loyalty to the party was rewarded when, in 2016, he was the Labour candidate for the North Wales PCC post. He lost out to Arfon Jones, the Plaid Cymru candidate.

L to R: Carl Sargeant, Sophie Howe, Lesley Griffiths, Leighton Andrews. Click to open in separate tab

The thing about this picture is, it’s not a ‘work’ photo, they’re out together relaxing. They know each other, they obviously enjoy each other’s company.

After Sargeant’s suicide they all rallied to his defence, or at least, they didn’t do any favours to then First Minister Carwyn Jones, lobbyists Deryn, and others coming under fire. Lesley Griffiths is quoted more than once in this report.

In this piece, we read that Sophie Howe: ‘ . . . told Coroner John Gittins: “I find that incredible that he (Sargeant) can be sacked without being told what the allegations were.”’

While Leighton Andrews has plenty to say on his blog.

In this November 2018 report from the Wrexham Leader we are told that, ‘The inquest also heard a statement from David Taylor, a friend of Mr Sargeant who was previously employed by the Labour Party.’

It’s all coincidence, no doubt, but from this small group around Carl Sargeant we have three – Howe, Griffiths, Taylor – currently contributing to Wales being ripped off by every shyster who can spin a line about saving the planet.

‘JUST A FEW QUESTIONS, SIR’ (Oh, the times I’ve heard that!)

I wrote to Bute Energy last Tuesday morning, ahead of office hours, giving them the chance to clarify a few points for this follow-up.

My questions were:

  1. When and where did you first meet David James Taylor?
  2. Were you introduced to Taylor? If so, by whom?
  3. What is your relationship with Taylor’s Moblake companies?
  4. Why did you make Taylor a Member of Grayling Capital LLP?
  5. Why did you give Taylor (and Moblake) shares in Windward Enterprises
  6. Have you met Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs? If so, where and when?
  7. Did you have advance warning of Ms Griffiths’ overturning a Planning Inspector’s decision on Hendy Wind Farm in October 2018?
  8. Why did you recruit former Labour MEP Derek Vaughan to chair your Welsh Advisory Board?
  9. Why does your Welsh Advisory also have as a member John Uden, a former London police officer now specialising in property security, who, apparently, has no Welsh connections?
  10. Why do you have so many wind farms planned for Wales?
  11. You don’t know Wales, so how did you find these sites? Did someone recommend them?
  12. Do the principals in Bute and the other companies have any experience in engineering, construction, renewables, or related fields?
  13. Do you really intend building wind farms or will you simply obtain planning permission and then sell the sites?
  14. Talking of the sites, have you been promised that, if necessary, powers of compulsory purchase will be exercised on your behalf?
  15. Do you have contact details for David James Taylor?
  16. Do you have anything you’d like to say?

I’m still waiting for answers.

Having mentioned the ‘skeletal accounts’ of David Taylor’s Moblake Ltd I naturally got to wondering about the accountant.

At the start, Moblake’s registered address was in the West End of London, at 109 Gloucester Place. It’s the tidy-looking gaff with the blue door. Though the company registered at that address, Adams Mitchell Ltd, was only formed in August 2019.

In fairness, it looks as though David Taylor was simply using Gloucester Place as an accommodation address. The ‘accounts’ submitted were all his own work.

Though the most recent accounts are a tale of West End to East End. For Moblake’s latest accounts were signed off by Naail & Co Ltd, a husband and wife outfit on Lambeth Walk in property leased with money borrowed from banks.

But the accounts remain unaudited. The accountant just signed off what Taylor put in front of him.

Accountant’s contribution to the latest Moblake Ltd accounts (y/e 30.04.2021). Click to open in separate tab.

Couldn’t David Taylor have found a nice, respectable accountant in Wales who would have presented fully audited and verified accounts?

Makes you wonder.

‘HERE YOU ARE, TAFF – DON’T SAY WE DON’T GIVE YOU NOTHING’

Maybe I’d better explain what I mean by the heading to this article about England’s wind turbines in Wales. Now pay attention, because this is a bit complicated, and prefaced with, ‘As I understand it . . . ‘.

In 2015 legislation was passed, covering England and Wales, that gave local planning authorities – i.e. councils – powers to decide on wind farms of 10MW and above. (They already had the power over smaller installations.)

This had been mooted for some years and finally came into effect, on June 18, 2015. With political spin about upholding election promises by letting ‘local people have the final say on wind farm applications’.

Hinting that this was a decision dictated by electoral considerations. For wind farms are erected in rural areas, and the rural areas of England are overwhelmingly Conservative in their political sentiments.

The Conservative and Unionist Party would lose MPs and councils if a Tory government in London over-ruled local councils to impose wind farms on areas where locals didn’t want them.

The map below might help illustrate my point.

You can do your own by going to this site, and by playing with the various layers on the interactive map you can end up with whatever your heart desires.

Image: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy / Barbour ABI. Click to open in separate tab

To reproduce my map, from the menu on the left: In ‘Energy Type’, keep Wind Onshore. In ‘Energy Capacity’, 10MW and Above. In ‘Status’, Application Submitted, Awaiting Construction, Operational, and Under Construction.

If we could add a layer giving political features it would show that Tory-voting England is almost entirely free of wind farms.

Below you’ll see an extract from a relevant UK government publication. This makes it clear that the 2015 legislation covered England and Wales.

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Obviously, this legislation means there will be hardly any wind farms in England. And that will result in the UK struggling to meet its climate change obligations. It will also be bad news for the Tories’ business friends who milk the subsidies paid for renewable energy.

Which is why I am convinced pressure was applied from London on the ‘Welsh Government’ for Wales to accept more and more wind farms.

This explains why the legislation was reversed in Wales to make wind farms of 10MW Developments of National Significance, meaning local authorities must either grant planning permission or expect to be over-ruled if they refuse planning permission. For the ultimate power rests with Welsh ministers. (Here’s the link.)

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This explains how, in 2018, Lesley Griffiths was able to over-rule both Powys County Council and the Planning Inspector on Hendy wind farm.

Ordinarily, Wales and England moving in separate directions would be something I’d applaud, but not this time.

Perhaps someone in the ‘Welsh Government’ can explain why 10MW wind farms are Developments of National Significance in Wales, but not in England. 

Especially as we share the same National Grid and the electricity generated by ‘Welsh’ wind farms will most likely go to England.

As I’ve said, I’m convinced pressure was applied from London, perhaps via the civil servants operating in Wales who answer to London. The ‘Welsh Government’ couldn’t admit that, so it was glossed over with the Well-being of Future Generations Act, which came into force in April 2016.

Followed by pious declarations to make Wales ‘carbon neutral’ and then, like a maiden aunt having an attack of the vapours, declaring a ‘Climate Emergency‘.

As if anybody outside of Corruption Bay gives a toss!

These bouts of orchestrated hysteria turned planting wind farms all over Wales into an environmental crusade. The panel below, from this ‘Welsh Government’ site, explains why someone thinks we needed this legislation.

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Note that climate change, over which Wales can have no effect, is more important for the ‘Welsh Government’ than spheres where it could make a difference.

Priorities, eh!

CONCLUSION

Despite the apparent divergence of approach over Developments of National Significance in 2015/16 we are, effectively, still in the Englandandwales model.

Making wind farms another example of devolution being used to serve England’s interests rather than ours. Consider this . . .

Just imagine if a Tory government in Westminster had said, ‘We don’t want wind farms in England – so we’re going to dump them all in Wales’. There would have been a national outcry.

Yet that is what has happened!

It’s the old story of Wales being exploited for the benefit of England. And just as with our water, we are not compensated for what we export.

Wanting Wales to be ‘carbon neutral’ and declaring a ‘Climate Emergency!’ is just vain posturing to disguise Wales’ subordinate status. Play-acting that won’t improve the lives of Welsh people, or make any difference to climate change.

And things might be about to get a whole lot worse.

For the number of wind farm applications is accelerating. Not only do we have Bute Energy’s 16 projects, there’s also the monster turbines planned for Y Bryn, between Port Talbot and Maesteg; while more recently I’ve learnt of a plan for turbines above coal tips at Ynyshir in the Rhondda Fach.

Yes, honestly, above coal tips.

How many more are planned that we haven’t yet heard about?

There is nothing to be said in favour of wind turbines. In their brief and intermittent lives they do not repay the environment for the damage caused in making, transporting, and erecting them. They are all built and owned by foreign companies. They provide no jobs. They despoil our landscapes. They kill birds. They cause flooding.

But never mind, we’re serving England’s interests. Again.

♦ end ♦

 




More wind turbines!

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.

The threatened area. Click to open in separate tab

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.

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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.

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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.

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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?