Nant Mithil weather mast approved by Powys councillors

But questions have been raised on whether the developers will actually be able to access the site.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Wednesday, February 19 councillors received and application by Nant Mithil Energy Park for the weather mast.

The proposal includes solar panels which would be used to power the meteorological mast at a site which is around 3.5 km away from Llandegley and 4.3 km from New Radnor.

The application is a prelude to a proposed development of 31 wind turbines with a maximum height of 220m at the site and Nant Mithil Energy Park is the development vehicle for Bute Energy.

The mast would be potentially there for three years, and planning officer Lorraine Jenkin recommended that councillors approve the scheme.

Objector Nigel Dodman said: “The access route shown on the plans crosses private land for which no permission has been sought nor landowners consulted.

“That is my land and that of the Duff-Gordon family, both opposed to this.”

He believed the application should be rejected on this point alone.

Planning agent Nia Russell of Turley said: “The purpose of the mast is to measure wind speeds and direction to inform turbine selection process for the proposed Nant Mithil Energy Park to ensure a safe and efficient turbine can be selected and is appropriate for the conditions at the site.”

“There will be no permanent foundations.”

She added that the mast had been designed to be “unobtrusive” through its slender form, materials, and colour.

Powys Independents Councillor Ed Jones who had called in the application before councillors asked whether the site was accessible without crossing private land?

Ms Jenkin explained that the applicant can get most of the way on a public highway, but “didn’t know” how they would get across to the site.

“That would not be our business they would have to agree that with the landowners,” said Ms Jenkin.

Plaid Cymru’s Councillor Elwyn Vaughan said that this application was “very similar” to other weather mast applications that had been before the committee during the last year.

Cllr Vaughan said: “Naturally there are concerns by some people in the community and area however we have a comprehensive report off the officer and also have clear guidelines and it is a temporary measure with no fixed basis of concrete.”

Due to this he proposed moving to a vote on the application.

This saw 11 councillors vote in favour of the application, two against and three abstain.

Due to its size the energy park would be deemed a Development of National Significane (DNS) and would be processed by planning inspectors at PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales).

A decision would be made by Welsh Government ministers.

Bute Energy say that the energy park would create 205 megawatts (MW) of electricity which is enough to power between 135,000 and 202,000 homes.