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What the politicians say >> TAN 8
The politicians plans for Wales
In July 2004, the Welsh Assembly published a draft consultation document outlining its plans for renewable energy initiatives for Wales. The document, known as Technical Advice Note 8: Renewable Energy, or TAN8, is intended to serve as a guideline for local planning officers when dealing with planning applications for renewable energy projects. Although TAN8 is in theory concerned with all forms of renewable energy initiatives, in reality it deals almost exclusively with wind energy. As a land-use document, TAN8 is concerned with on-shore, rather than off-shore, wind farms.
The Welsh Assemblys target, as outlined in TAN8, is for an additional 800 MW of wind-generated electricity by 2010. TAN8 has identified areas of Wales where large-scale wind farms are to be encouraged, so called Strategic Search Areas (click here to see a map the SSA G - Brechfa Forest). However all areas of Wales are open for small-scale community-based wind turbine developments. What exactly is meant by small scale and community based remains unclear.
The draft TAN8 as a consultation document was open to comments from the public. The Welsh Assembly received an unprecedented level of response for a technical document of this nature. About 1700 individuals and organisations made submissions as part of the public consultation exercise. Most were highly critical of the document.
The consultation period ended in November 2004. When the final version of TAN8 was published in July 2005, little had changed. The Welsh Assembly had disregarded public concerns and objections to its plans for wind power developments in Wales. (The final version of TAN8 including the maps can be downloaded from the Welsh Assembly website - click here)
The Mynydd Llansadwrn Action Group (MLAG) had submitted a detailed response to the TAN8 document as part of the consultation exercise. This original submission can be viewed using this link:
MLAG original submission, with covering letter of 28 October 2004 and detailed comments
Instead, of addressing the issues we raised, or answering any of our questions, the Welsh Assembly sticks steadfastly to its belief in wind energy as a powerful tool in the struggle to halt global warming. It disregards current scientific evidence showing that wind farms are ineffective in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and are an unpredictable and unreliable source of electricity; it also refuses to acknowledge the well-documented evidence of the problems associated with wind turbines. Nothing it seems, including scientific evidence or rational thought, will stand in the way of the Assemblys plans to embark on a massive wind energy development programme.
Our correspondence with the Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside and the Planning division of the Welsh Assembly is available on request from Info@TurbineAction.co.uk
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