Pylon plans threaten to wipe out Powys harness racing event

Powys County Times

19-05-2025

A POPULAR summer sporting event in Powys could be erased from the calendar by plans to erect pylons across the county, a landowner has warned.
Cilmery Harness Races has been a permanent fixture on the summer harness racing schedule for more than a decade.
But, plans to scatter the Brecon and Radnorshire countryside with wind turbines and electricity pylons is threatening its future.
The event, held every August at Cilmery Farm, on the edge of the village, lies directly in the path of the proposed Green GEN Cymru Towy Usk network, a 60-mile line of pylons through Powys.
The route would start at the Nant Mithil Energy Park in the Radnor Forest and cut a swathe right through the heart of Powys, on its way to Carmarthen.
Kevin Jones, a third-generation farmer at Cilmery Farm, has been approached by green energy firms, who want to build five pylons on his land – including one proposed on the last corner of the racetrack.
'I'm against it, I don't want the things,' said Kevin, 53, who has worked on the family farm since he was 17.
'I don't want or need them. I'll be looking straight out of my house at them. They look absolutely horrible. It's unspoilt countryside here, there's no pylons for miles around.'
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Two races per summer are held on the track, which Kevin agreed to host more than 15 years ago.
'My father-in-law is big into harness racing and he persuaded me to hold the races here,' said Kevin.
'It's a prestigious event locally and on the trotting calendar. I do it for the local community.
'But, it will be finished if or when the pylons go through, because we won't be able to get a licence or insurance for it. It'll be a health and safety nightmare, there's no way can you race round pylons.'
Cilmery Farm sits alongside the A483 passing through the village towards Llanwrtyd Wells, with Kevin claiming the pylon on the last corner will have to be raised even higher than the others, because of a dip from the road to the field.
The farm will be part of the route linking the Aberedw and Bryn Gilwern Energy Parks projects, either side of neighbouring Builth Wells, to Carmarthen.
Kevin was first contacted by Green GEN around two years ago.
'I wanted them to go into another field but they keep coming back to the racecourse field,' he said.
'It's like hitting my head against a brick wall talking to them."
'Because it's a PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, which deals with projects of national significance) application, all it takes is for the planning chief in Cardiff to sign it and it'll be go. We have no say.'
He added: 'The compensation they're offering is peanuts too. I've been told around £5,000 or 6,000 as a one-off payment, but they haven't really told me. And I don't want it.
'When I contact them they tell me the person I need to speak to is on holiday.'
Gareth Williams, grid director at Green GEN Cymru, said previously: 'It's imperative we act swiftly to harness Wales' renewable energy potential and get the green energy generated to the many homes, hospitals, schools, businesses and communities that need it in the rest of Wales and beyond.
'The existing network in Mid Wales does not have nearly enough capacity to connect all the new renewable energy we need, locally and nationally.
'To end the use of fossil fuels we need new infrastructure, and quickly. Our plans for the Towy Usk connection will help build a positive, clean future for us all.'