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Plans for a replacement wind turbine in north Pembrokeshire , submitted after a previous scheme was withdrawn following Met Office concerns, have been approved despite objections from the local community council. Surrey-based Constantine Wind Energy Limited, which manages some 200 turbines throughout Great Britain, had initially sought permission for a 102-metre-high wind turbine at Sarnau Farm, on the Carmarthenshire border near Trelech. That application would replace an existing 45-metre-high turbine, granted permission in 2014. In a supporting statement, Wilmslow-based agent Axis PED Limited said any visual impact would be "outweighed by the beneficial contribution the replacement turbine would make in the transition away from fossil fuels and the ability to meet UK Net Zero targets in line with the Government's commitments". Local community council Clydau strongly objected to the first proposal, raising concerns including that the size was more than double that existing, and potential visual and noise impacts. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here The Met Office raised concerns about the impact on the nearby Crug-y-Grollwyn weather radar, just over four kilometres away. After the previous scheme was withdrawn, the applicants submitted plans for a smaller turbine, some 64 metres in height; which was recommended for approval at the November 4 meeting of the council's planning committee Local community council Clydau also objected to the latest proposal, saying the scheme had no real local benefit, raising potential impact of the development on the landscape, the local environment and amenity, most notably noise, shadow flicker and visual intrusion, and potential devaluation of nearby properties, along with 37 objections from members of the public. Speaking at the meeting, Richard Grist, senior development manager at Constantine, said there were no Met Office objections to the 64m replacement turbine, which would be more efficient, and productive than what was currently on site, "capturing more of the wind more often". Objector Wyn Thomas, living nearby, said the "42 per cent larger" turbine was capable of generating significantly more power and was better located elsewhere, raising concerns including noise and a potential impact on nearby water supplies during construction. He said he and his wife had already suffered noise issues with the current turbine, investing £2,000 in a specialist noise assessment, which, he said, showed levels "at the absolute limits of tolerances" Local county councillor Cllr Iwan Ward also raised concerns about potential shadow flicker and "an industrial scale infrastructure" of "no community benefit". "The proposal asks too much of local residents while giving too little back," he added. Following a lengthy debate, approval was moved by Cllr Alec Cormack; 11 members supported approval with one against and one abstaining.
