Pantygasseg residents concerned on wind farm application

South Wales Argus

7 hours ago

The application for the Mynydd Llanhilleth Wind Farm proposes seven turbines each around 180 metres tall near Llanhilleth and Pontypool.
The project proposed by energy developer Pennant Walters Ltd can generate up to 34 megawatts. Enough to power about 21,500 homes.
However, residents are concerned about the scale of the project.
Existing turbines in the South Wales area (Image: Grace Lloyd Evans) Pantygasseg resident Joe Patterson 65, is highly opposed to the project.
His house directly faces the Mynydd Twyn-glas mountain where he already has a view of existing turbines and infrastructure.
He said: 'I'm not anti-wind farm because we've got a couple up there already overlooking Six Bells, but these are four times bigger so it's unbelievable.
'It's going to be prominent up on the mountain, so you'll be able to see them for miles.'
Pantygasseg resident Joe Patterson who is opposed to the project (Image: Pantygasseg resident Joe Patterson) Joe put things into perspective.
'There's a 'Met Mast' 90 meters high used to measure the weather and imagine it twice as high and 200 meters closer that's huge but imagine it twice as high and 200 meters closer.'
Joe is also afraid for the state of the mountain: 'It'll turn the mountain into an industrial site really, there's going to be thousands of tonnes of concrete up there.'
The Met Mast which already is noticeable to Pantygasseg residents (Image: Grace Lloyd Evans) Grace Lloyd Evans, 67, from Abercan is an MMAG member (Mynydd Maen Wind Farms Action Group).
She has a PhD in river chemistry and a background in environmental science.
Grace believes that at present there is a 'gold rush' in our hillsides, which is profit driven at the expense of in her words 'decimating our local biodiversity and peat moorlands.'
Speaking of her concerns about large scale onshore wind projects, Grace said:
'Our group are very pro renewable energy, and we need locally generated energy, which will benefit local communities and balance that with caring for the biodiversity of the area.
'At the moment, these huge companies are sweeping in and devastating the Welsh countryside leaving the Welsh people with very little, not even cheaper bills.'
Grace Lloyd Evans a member of Mynydd Maen Wind Farms Action Group. (Image: Grace Lloyd Evans) Grace claimed Scotland shows how wind turbines can devastate the countryside.
She said: 'There are places with these huge windfarms out in the wild places. Scotland has been devastated, and the power grid can't generate it we don't get cheaper bills.'
The Scottish Highlands and islands have already suffered terribly from poorly sited onshore turbines, and I fear we're going the same way in Wales.'
Grace says that people don't realise how big the project will actually be.
She said: 'The turbines we currently see in the Welsh countryside are typically around 70 m in height, and those are fine. I can see seven from my kitchen window and don't have a problem with them.
'The problem is these new developments, where the turbines are twice or even three times the height. Few people realise just how big they will be.'
Grace stood next to a small turbine to demonstrate how large they are (Image: Grace Lloyd Evans) Grace has shown concern for wildlife 'We are losing animal habitats at the rate we know of great crested newts in the area and a white-tailed eagle was also spotted here.'
She also believes that turbines can be moved away from our green spaces and closer to towns and cities.
She explained: 'These are wild places. They could be putting them near towns and installing more rooftop solar generation but that doesn't profit anybody.'
'You could have like solar powered lorries and there's plenty of roof space with all the industrial estates we have.'
Torfaen Council's Planning Committee will discuss the application on 20 August 2025.