16. Debate: The National Development Framework

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:46 pm on 29 September 2020.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 7:46, 29 September 2020

(Translated)

Thank you very much, Chair. I just wanted to make a few comments on energy, specifically the interaction or lack of interaction between the ambition for renewable energy onshore and offshore. May I say, first of all, that I'm pleased to see the revised document turn its back on the idea of allowing huge wind turbines across Anglesey? In reality, the Anglesey landscape would have made it almost impossible to get planning permission for those kinds of turbines that were recommended in the first draft. Anglesey is very flat and there's a population across the island, and you shouldn't be building these 250m wind turbines in that kind of landscape, which is higher than the highest point on Anglesey. So, common sense seems to have prevailed there.

But as a representative of an island, I spend much of my time looking out to sea and considering the potential of that marine environment, and I can't quite understand how a document that is so important, the national development framework, shouldn't include the potential for offshore energy. There are excuses being referred to as to why there is no reference to marine energy, and that it's the national marine plan that deals with that, and that the NDF is focused on terrestrial issues. But the reality is that the marine plan is very ambiguous and vague on its ambition in terms of marine energy. We can see huge potential off Anglesey with Morlais and Minesto and also further wind energy developments to the west of the current developments off the northern coast. 

The national development framework does specifically mention creating 70 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources. All well and good, but if we're only looking at onshore, then what about marine energy? If we had your onshore and offshore teams talking to each other, then surely we could create 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources, and our seas would produce most of that energy.

There are very specific reasons why this is important in my constituency. We've heard mention of Wylfa and the fact that that development has been paused. I want to see—and it makes sense—offshore wind energy developments off the coast of north Wales, to the west of the current ones, are served from the port of Holyhead, rather than Mostyn, which has done very well in serving the other windfarms. The development framework needs to be very specific in saying, 'Right, there are marine wind energy developments here that could bring us real benefits onshore in areas such as Anglesey'. So, speak to each other, both teams, the onshore and the offshore. We could get a better framework for the future in doing so.