8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Mynydd y Gwair wind farm development? OAQ(5)0096(ERA)

The Mynydd y Gwair development is a commercial wind farm in strategic search area E. It has received all necessary consents and I understand construction starts next month. The developer will invest £50 million and provide employment during the build, generating enough clean energy to power up to 22,600 homes.

Thank you for that response. Members will be aware that the application to develop a windfarm on land under the ownership of the Duke of Beaufort, near Felindre, Swansea, is one that has gone on for 20 years and has created a great deal of local opposition. The most recent saga, in addition to what you’ve just said there, is to do with the access to the site from the A48 at Pontarddulais. As regards that point specifically, can you give the Chamber an update about the latest discussions you’ve had with the developers, and when and how do you expect that the current situation will be resolved?

Well, I haven’t had any specific discussions with the developer. I will check with my officials if they have and I’ll write to the Member.

There is plenty of opposition, still, to Mynydd y Gwair, and local residents are concerned about the potential impact on the local bat population as well. I raise this as the lesser horseshoe bat champion for the Assembly. Residents do point to the recent Exeter university report on bat mortality caused by blade disruption to sonar and to the potential of roosts near the proposed access track to the site. The company’s qualified ecologist is satisfied that the bat roosts that they have found are not in trees that are planned to be cut down, whereas another qualified specialist has advised that roosts have been found in another tree that is due to be felled. As there appears to be some confusion about which trees and which roosts everyone’s talking about, do you think that there should actually be some clarity achieved before any trees are felled?

I think that’s an issue we certainly need to look at, and I’m very happy to do that and will update the Member.