{"id":29263,"date":"2018-12-12T18:15:36","date_gmt":"2018-12-12T18:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacothenorth.net\/blog\/?p=29263"},"modified":"2018-12-14T01:23:23","modified_gmt":"2018-12-14T01:23:23","slug":"pot-pourri-12-12-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacothenorth.net\/blog\/pot-pourri-12-12-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Pot Pourri 12.12.2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

As you can see, this is another big one. But it’s made up of five separate reports: Hendy wind farm, recent events in Swansea and Llanelli which may – or may not – be linked, the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre, the redevelopment of the Tower opencast site, and finally, the leadership election in a non-existent political party.<\/span><\/p>\n

So you can either make yourself a panad, settle down and go through the lot in one go. Alternatively, you can take them one at a time. The choice is yours.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unless something big crops up this might be my last posting until 2019. If that’s how it turns out, then . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u25ca<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

HENDY WIND FARM: WHO GAVE THE WORD? WHEN? WHY?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, in Corruption in the Wind<\/a>, I looked at three wind farms: Bryn Blaen, near Llangurig; Rhoscrowther, near Milford Haven; and Hendy, near Crossgates. All being promoted by the same property company.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Hendy wind farm merits another visit.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You’ll recall that Hendy was refused planning permission by Powys County Council and this decision was upheld by a planning inspector in May this year. But then, in late October, Lesley Griffiths, Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Secretary for the management team in Cardiff docks, said that she would over-rule the planning inspector\u2019s decision\u00a0and allow Hendy to proceed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The landscape to be desecrated by Hendy wind farm, click to enlarge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the earlier piece I argued that what triggered the change of heart over Hendy was the High Court decision in September to finally put a stop to the Rhoscrowther project on the Milford Haven Waterway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to that High Court decision the developers had Bryn Blaen in the bag, were hopeful of getting Rhoscrowther, and were probably resigned to writing off Hendy, taking the view that two out of three ain’t that bad. But once Rhoscrowther was lost they were down to one out of three – they had to have Hendy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s the sequence of events leading to where we are at present.<\/span><\/p>\n