
Letter: Wind turbine plans are impending tragedy for Powys
Clearly the Welsh landscape means nothing to the politicians in Westminster and Cardiff; once it's gone it will be gone for ever, to the last syllable of recorded time.
And are there similar plans for the Pennines and the Lake District?
Already Wales has too many wind turbines (misleadingly called 'wind farms' or 'energy parks'), but those are small compared to the monsters now being proposed, in many cases by foreign companies.
Yet again Wales is being exploited, not for the first time over the centuries.
May I plead with all Welsh people, old and young, man and woman, to call upon their MPs, Assembly Members, local councillors and all people of influence and none, to wake up to this impending tragedy.
David Morgan Jones

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Rhyl Journal
5 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Blind man calls out 'digital inequality' at Eisteddfod panel
Rob Williams, from Wrexham, said digital public services were failing visually impaired users who want to access them in the Welsh language. The event, held on the Welsh Government stand, marked the launch of *Access for All*—a new book from the Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) and Cardiff University. Mr Williams said: "Government websites in English are generally accessible if they follow digital standards. "But I've never been able to use public services in Welsh. "There's no suitable Welsh-language technology that I'm aware of to help me navigate them, so I don't know what's available or how usable those services are. "I can't even text my family in Welsh, which is frustrating and makes me sad, as I've spoken Welsh to them all my life." Mr Williams acknowledged improvements in digital accessibility in recent years but said the lack of suitable Welsh-language screen reader technology continues to exclude users like him from essential services. He highlighted the high cost of braille displays, which allow users to read on-screen content in braille. He also noted that existing Welsh screen readers are only suitable for reading long texts or stories, not for engaging with everyday digital tasks. Mr Williams said the gap in technology is more than an inconvenience—it is a barrier to independence. He added: "The feeling of relying on someone else to complete a simple task, not because of your disability but because it hasn't been adapted, is horrible. "It could mean missing out on vital support or benefits." In his role as a digital skills officer for Vision Support, Mr Williams works with older Welsh speakers who struggle with digital services. He said the issues are sometimes due to low digital literacy, but more often related to language barriers. He said: "Welsh-language helplines are often unavailable or just not to the same standard as the English ones. "We're encouraged to go digital, but until accessible Welsh-language screen readers are developed, offline services must remain properly available." Efa Gruffudd Jones, Welsh Language Commissioner, also took part in the panel discussion. Ms Jones said: "It's important to acknowledge that progress is being made in this field. "The Language Technologies Unit at Canolfan Bedwyr, for example, is undertaking excellent work—leading the way in research and development in both text and speech technologies. "That said, Rob's story is a powerful reminder that there is much still to do. "If we are to ensure that Welsh speakers can fully benefit from language technology, further investment and work is needed." The Centre for Digital Public Services recently conducted a research project into digital accessibility in Welsh public services. The study identified examples of good practice but also uncovered significant challenges. These included unclear enforcement of standards, a lack of in-house expertise, and poor accessibility in many third-party supplier products. Joanna Goodwin, head of user-centred design at CDPS, said: "Behind every product, every service, and every policy, there are real people affected by the decisions we make. "The stories in our book, as well as Rob's, challenge us to think differently, to listen more closely, and to design with empathy. "When we do that, something remarkable happens. "Take video captions. "Originally designed for people with hearing impairments, they're now used by anyone watching videos in noisy places, quiet offices, or while learning a new language. "Designing for people with access needs improves the experience for everyone." Ms Goodwin said: "The Digital Service Standard for Wales demands that we make sure everyone can use our services. "This isn't just policy, it's a moral imperative rooted in the Well-being of Future Generations Act. "Our new book, launching today with Cardiff University, is more than guidance—it's a call to action."


North Wales Chronicle
5 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Blind man calls out 'digital inequality' at Eisteddfod panel
Rob Williams, from Wrexham, said digital public services were failing visually impaired users who want to access them in the Welsh language. The event, held on the Welsh Government stand, marked the launch of *Access for All*—a new book from the Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) and Cardiff University. Mr Williams said: "Government websites in English are generally accessible if they follow digital standards. "But I've never been able to use public services in Welsh. "There's no suitable Welsh-language technology that I'm aware of to help me navigate them, so I don't know what's available or how usable those services are. "I can't even text my family in Welsh, which is frustrating and makes me sad, as I've spoken Welsh to them all my life." Mr Williams acknowledged improvements in digital accessibility in recent years but said the lack of suitable Welsh-language screen reader technology continues to exclude users like him from essential services. He highlighted the high cost of braille displays, which allow users to read on-screen content in braille. He also noted that existing Welsh screen readers are only suitable for reading long texts or stories, not for engaging with everyday digital tasks. Mr Williams said the gap in technology is more than an inconvenience—it is a barrier to independence. He added: "The feeling of relying on someone else to complete a simple task, not because of your disability but because it hasn't been adapted, is horrible. "It could mean missing out on vital support or benefits." In his role as a digital skills officer for Vision Support, Mr Williams works with older Welsh speakers who struggle with digital services. He said the issues are sometimes due to low digital literacy, but more often related to language barriers. He said: "Welsh-language helplines are often unavailable or just not to the same standard as the English ones. "We're encouraged to go digital, but until accessible Welsh-language screen readers are developed, offline services must remain properly available." Efa Gruffudd Jones, Welsh Language Commissioner, also took part in the panel discussion. Ms Jones said: "It's important to acknowledge that progress is being made in this field. "The Language Technologies Unit at Canolfan Bedwyr, for example, is undertaking excellent work—leading the way in research and development in both text and speech technologies. "That said, Rob's story is a powerful reminder that there is much still to do. "If we are to ensure that Welsh speakers can fully benefit from language technology, further investment and work is needed." The Centre for Digital Public Services recently conducted a research project into digital accessibility in Welsh public services. The study identified examples of good practice but also uncovered significant challenges. These included unclear enforcement of standards, a lack of in-house expertise, and poor accessibility in many third-party supplier products. Joanna Goodwin, head of user-centred design at CDPS, said: "Behind every product, every service, and every policy, there are real people affected by the decisions we make. "The stories in our book, as well as Rob's, challenge us to think differently, to listen more closely, and to design with empathy. "When we do that, something remarkable happens. "Take video captions. "Originally designed for people with hearing impairments, they're now used by anyone watching videos in noisy places, quiet offices, or while learning a new language. "Designing for people with access needs improves the experience for everyone." Ms Goodwin said: "The Digital Service Standard for Wales demands that we make sure everyone can use our services. "This isn't just policy, it's a moral imperative rooted in the Well-being of Future Generations Act. "Our new book, launching today with Cardiff University, is more than guidance—it's a call to action."


Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
Ospreys boss responds to politicians' St Helen's concerns and admits 'surprise' at reaction
Ospreys boss responds to politicians' St Helen's concerns and admits 'surprise' at reaction The Ospreys boss spoke out after west Wales politicians raised concerns over the redevelopment of St Helen's Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley (Image: L Churchouse) Ospreys chief Lance Bradley admits the Welsh club were "quite surprised" by concerns raised by Carmarthenshire politicians over the redevelopment of St Helen's. Tuesday brought the positive news that the Swansea-based region had been granted planning permission for work to start at the famous old ground on the city's seafront. The Ospreys will be leaving their old home at the Stadium and forging a new future at St Helen's, with the hope of moving in by the end of the year. But on Wednesday Plaid Cymru MP Ann Davies, along with Member of the Senedd Cefin Campbell and Labour MP Nia Griffith, spoke of their concerns over the impact it could have on the game further west on rivals the Scarlets. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. They have asked for the Welsh government to step in on the matter and call it in, while the Scarlets Supporters' Trust also raised their own objection. Mr Campbell told Radio Wales: "What I'm asking is whether we need two stadiums within six or seven miles of each other when there is a good stadium in Llanelli already. "I have no problem, if that's the way the Welsh Rugby Union want to go, to merge the Ospreys and the Scarlets and that's been mooted many times in the past and if that's the direction of travel then we would be more than happy to see first-class rugby played in Parc y Scarlets but my fear is by developing this new stadium in Swansea that Parc y Scarlets and rugby in Carmarthenshire and further west in Wales will become dormant." Article continues below Bradley offered a confident response, dismissing the concerns raised by Mr Campbell and stressed the benefits that a made-over St Helen's would have not just for rugby but for the wider community in the city. "I'm flattered that he should think that we should have such a huge impact on our friends in Llanelli," Bradley began. "The fact is St Helen's isn't a new stadium, St Helen's is actually a very old stadium where Wales played their first international game, and we're very conscious of the fact that when we move there it's the redevelopment of an iconic ground, it isn't something new, and we will be fully respecting the heritage of the place and the history of the place to provide a top-class facility not just for the Ospreys but for Swansea RFC, Swansea University and a big part of the plans and something Swansea Council were very keen on is the community use as well. "So I can't see it will have an impact on Parc y Scarlets." Bradley also dismissed suggestions that the Ospreys had been "tipped a wink" by the WRU amid the impending consultation process which could see the number of professional clubs in Wales cut, adding he was "a bit surprised" by the timing of the objections. He said: "We haven't been tipped a wink at all. There is a process going on with the WRU that all the clubs are involved in and as far as I'm aware we've all had the same amount of information, the same opportunities to input what we think, so that's certainly not the case. "Were we surprised? Yes, we were a bit surprised because this isn't something that suddenly got announced yesterday, this is something we announced we were planning over a year ago. "So it was slightly surprising that some of the MPs and Senedd members from Carmarthenshire should wait until now to raise a concern. But that's their right to do that if that's what they want to do." Despite the reaction, Bradley maintained there were no second thoughts whatsoever over the move and that his focus was on the positivity he has seen from the club, supporters and wider community to the news. Article continues below "Not at all because the reaction you are talking about is from three people from Carmarthenshire, our primary concern is Ospreys and the reaction from Ospreys fans and from our staff and players as well and Swansea Council and indeed from most of the Swansea public is overwhelmingly positive and that's what we are focusing on," he added.