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South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Could massive solar farms damage the Gwent Levels?
The call comes as the Welsh Government considers a new application to build a solar farm on the ecologically sensitive Gwent Levels. Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) is currently reviewing the controversial Wentlooge Solar development. The proposed 318-acre site has sparked fierce debate, following damning evidence of environmental destruction caused by a similar solar project at Llanwern. Geoff Devlin of Stop Craig y Perthi—a campaign opposing another proposed solar farm near Bishton—said: "To influence debate in the Senedd, people need to be aware of and discussing the key issues. There is now clear evidence of serious environmental damage caused by the Llanwern solar site, and people must pressure politicians. It's the only way to influence those in the Senedd." PEDW is ruling on the Wentlooge site after operators RWE appealed a previous rejection under Development of National Significance (DNS) rules. The Welsh Government's 2019 declaration of a climate emergency may bolster RWE's case, as the site could be seen as contributing to climate policy goals. The legal battle coincides with a Welsh Government-commissioned study into the Llanwern solar plant—built entirely within two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)—which revealed catastrophic impacts on wildlife and water quality. Lapwing breeding pairs dropped from eight to two, with no successful nesting recorded in 2023. Shrill carder bee and brown-banded carder bee populations plummeted, likely due to herbicide use and failed wildflower planting. Bat activity declined sharply. The rare Eurasian crane, once seen as a hopeful returnee to the Levels, has vanished. The report also highlights dangerous pollutants—including cadmium and lead—leaking into the reens and ditches, vital waterways that support otters, water voles, and rare aquatic flora. These findings were presented at PEDW hearings, raising urgent questions about whether mitigation measures can ever succeed in such a fragile ecosystem. Gwent Wildlife Trust CEO Natalie Buttriss stated: "Mitigation has failed catastrophically. The proposed Wentlooge site is even larger than Llanwern and poses an even greater threat to this irreplaceable landscape." Campaigners emphasize they are not opposed to solar energy, but argue that developments must avoid nationally protected areas. Only 12% of Wales is designated as SSSI, and these fragments, they say, should be sacrosanct. With vast areas of non-designated land available, they urge the Welsh Government to redirect solar projects away from sensitive habitats. The Gwent Levels—often dubbed Wales's Amazon—are home to a rich mosaic of wildlife. Magor Marsh, a flagship reserve of Gwent Wildlife Trust, preserves one of the last remaining pieces of natural fenland in Britain. From cuckoos and warblers to kingfishers and wintering teal, the area supports biodiversity year-round. The reens, unique to the Levels, remain a haven for water voles—one of the UK's fastest declining mammals. Public support for protecting the Levels is growing, with backing from naturalists Iolo Williams, Gillian Burke, and Lizzie Daly, and authors Julian Hoffman and Horatio Clare. As PEDW prepares its decision, campaigners warn that approval could set a precedent for industrial-scale development on protected land. Meanwhile, green energy giant RWE still operates lignite power stations in Central Europe. Lignite is a highly invasive and inefficient source of carbon energy. RWE has committed to phasing out all lignite sites by 2030.
Wales Online
02-07-2025
- General
- Wales Online
'This will irretrievably damage a nationally important landscape teeming with wildlife'
'This will irretrievably damage a nationally important landscape teeming with wildlife' A huge solar farm would cover a vast area of the Gwent Levels A Planning and Environment Decisions Wales hearing will this week decide whether a huge solar farm can be constructed at the Gwent Levels SSSI (Image: John Myers ) The CEO of a charity working to protect one of Wales' most important areas of land has spoken of her fear about the impact of a major development being considered by the Welsh Government this week. On Wednesday and Thursday Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) are considering proposals for a new solar farm at Wentlooge on the Gwent Levels site of special scientific interest (SSSI). The application has been submitted by Wentlooge Farmers Solar Scheme Ltd, funded by Next Energy Capital, and would cover 318 acres of the Levels landscape. If approved it will be there for 40 years. There is already one solar farm on the Levels border at Llanwern while there are another seven planning applications for further renewable energy developments in the pipeline for the Levels alone. You can see a map below showing just how the applications could change the whole landscape of one of the country's most important landscapes. CEO of the wildlife trust Natalie Buttriss told WalesOnline ahead of the first day of the PEDW hearing for the Wentlooge plans: 'If this gets approved we believe it will open the floodgates to all the other applications bubbling along in the pipeline and before you know it a third of the Levels landscape or more could be covered by solar panels and the like. It's a landscape that's taken millions of years to develop both from a biodiversity point of view but also culturally. Article continues below 'If development like this is allowed on SSSIs in Wales it will set a precedent. In terms of important landscapes and biodiversity corridors in Wales it opens doors to that not being valued or seen as important. It would just completely change the characteristics of the area for communities too. 'On one field you'd have giant solar panels and on the other you'd have a biodiverse criss-cross of waterways that it is at the moment. That's what people would see as they walked the Wales coastal path." Map shows how applications for renewable development would cover the Levels Solar farms which could soon be in or around the Gwent Levels Future Energy Llanwern Land to the south of Llanwern Steelworks Would be the biggest solar farm in Wales with the capacity to provide enough green energy to power more than 100,000 homes Applicant is Future Energy Llanwern Ltd Funded by Next Energy Capital Potentially the UK's largest solar farm at 400 MW - enough to deliver 8% of Wales' household energy needs - covering approximately 2.5 square km In the pre-application process - application will be determined by the UK Government because of its size Craig y Perthi Solar Farm Surrounding the village of Bishton to the east and west Erection of a solar farm comprising ground mounted, fixed position solar panels, with a combined installed generating capacity of up to 99.9 MW, underground cabling, grid connection, associated infrastructure, landscaping and environmental enhancements, for a period of up to 40 years Applicant is RWE Renewables Funded by RWE Renewables 334 acres, capacity to produce 99.9 megawatts Planning application submitted and consultation period completed. The application is being examined by the Welsh Government and a decision is expected in April 2025 Rushwall Solar Park Rushwall Lane, Redwick The installation of a solar park with an approximate design capacity of 75MW. Development includes ancillary electrical equipment and infrastructure, access tracks, security fencing and CCTV Applicant is Rushwall Solar Park Ltd Funded by BSR Energy 210 acres, capacity to produce 75 MW Dismissed by the Welsh Government as potentially harmful to the landscape but decision overturned at judicial review and application expected to be redetermined by PEDW Atlantic Eco Park Solar Farm Newton Road, Rumney Installation of a solar park and ancillary development Applicant is Atlantic Eco Park Ltd Funded by Dauson Environmental Group 67 acres, capacity to produce 15 MW Planning application at pre-submission stage Wentlooge Renewables Energy Hub Land on the Wentlooge Levels to the west of Hawse Lane Erection of a renewable energy hub comprising ground mounted solar panels, battery storage units (160 units) with a combined installed generating capacity of up to 125 MW, underground cabling, grid connection hub, associated infrastructure, landscaping and environmental enhancements for a temporary period of 40 years Applicant is Wentlooge Farmers Solar Scheme Limited Funded by Next Energy Capital 318 acres, capacity to produce 125 MW Dismissed by the Welsh Government as potentially harmful to the landscape but decision overturned at judicial review and application expected to be redetermined by PEDW Magor Net Zero Land south of Magor, Monmouthshire Would power a linked green hydrogen plant to be constructed at the town's Budweiser brewery and decarbonise the brewery and its fleet of HGV delivery vehicles transporting beer around the UK Applicant is Protium Green Solutions Would generate approximately 15.3 MW from the 53-hectare solar farm with a 3.5MW, 105m-high wind turbine also on site. The solar farm would have 3,000 rows of 17 photovoltaic panels in eight groups. The linked electrolyser at the brewery would cover 5.3 hectares and house a 17.4 MW electrolyser and hydrogen and battery storage Planning advice sought from Welsh Government She added: 'We need to stress that we are not opposed to solar energy, simply that such developments need to be located on land where they will not irretrievably damage a nationally important and designated landscape, teeming with wildlife. It also needs to be stressed that only 12 per cent of Wales' total land area is made up of SSSIs, these small fragments should be sacrosanct. " Developers have targeted the Levels because it is flat meaning it is easy to build on and attracts more sunlight than other areas. They have also targeted the land because of the easy connection to the national grid hookup, excess energy from the now abandoned Llanwern steelworks, and the proximity to the M4 motorway. Those reasons make it easier and cheaper for development companies to propose building on it without looking at other more costly options. But the campaigners have long argued that no significant development of this nature should take place on the Levels. Currently Welsh Government planning guidance on the issue of building on SSSIs in Wales states no-one should be allowed to build on SSSIs unless in wholly exceptional need. Development companies argue that this is an emergency situation with Wales targeting net zero by 2030. Opposers to that say they've seen an opportunity to take a swathe of land in Wales and make money quickly and easily. Campaigners say they are not against clean energy quickly but it needs to be situated in appropriate areas (Image: John Myers ) Ms Buttriss explained: 'In one breath the Welsh Government is saying how wonderfully significant the Gwent Levels are for their biodiversity value and on the other the planning guidance is not saying: 'Do not develop on the Gwent Levels under any circumstances.' It's the 'under any circumstances' which we've been campaigning for. 'This isn't just a Gwent Levels issue, it's a Wales issue in protecting just 12% of the land designated as SSSI. There is another 88% of Wales which could be developed on with renewable energy.' Ms Buttriss stressed that the trust is not against renewable energy. 'There is a global crisis, but it doesn't make sense to try and resolve one environmental biodiversity crisis by creating another," she explained. A frosty morning over the Gwent Levels reveals a serene landscape, with shimmering frost crystals blanketing the wetlands, reflecting the soft hues of dawn (Image: John Myers ) There is limited evidence currently showing the impact renewable development could have on the biodiversity of the Levels, but there is one case study which is important at Llanwern where a solar farm has been built. In the years since the development was finished at Llanwern evidence suggests lapwing and bat populations have disappeared. Ms Buttriss added: 'We know that after several years of monitoring, and that's the Welsh Government monitoring, that mitigation isn't working." She added: "This is a really special area which has been created over millennia. "Each one of these ditches and waterways all has intricate ecosystems of different insects and plants and animals which has developed over hundreds and thousands of years and the microhabitats make it wonderful to watch. Article continues below "It's a mosaic of different wildlife surviving from this quite complex development over the years. It's crucial we do everything we can to keep it that way."
