Renewable Energy Projects


Llanbadarn Fynydd Wind Farm, Mid Wales

Following the successful outcome of the public inquiry into Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm in North Devon, at which Peter Mansell gave evidence on highway safety issues, Key Transport Consultants (KTC) was very grateful to Patrick Robinson of Burges Salmon for a referral to Swedish renewable energy company, Vattenfall, to act on the Llanbadarn Fynydd Wind Farm project in Mid Wales. But what transport impacts are caused by wind farms we hear you ask?

In line with Welsh Government policy, Mid Wales has been identified as an area suitable for the provision of wind farms but, with potentially hundreds of wind turbines to be constructed, the impact of the delivery by Abnormal Indivisible Load (AIL) lorries of turbine blades up to 45m long and tower sections up to 4.5m wide, and the construction of concrete foundation bases and many kilometres of stone access tracks has raised significant concerns. Consequently, Mid Wales has been the scene of what has been badged as “Britain’s biggest ever public inquiry into wind farms”, a conjoined public inquiry into five wind farms and an electrical grid connection that ran in various sittings over a year long period from June 2013 to May 2014.

Collett Transport Photographs of AILs

Transport was one of a number of controversial topics scheduled to be heard during the public inquiry and working in partnership with the transport consultants acting for the other wind farm developers and the industry group, RenewableUK Cymru, KTC sought to reach agreement with Welsh Government Transport and Powys County Council on as many of the issues as possible. Whilst we were successful in reaching agreement with these highway authorities that the cumulative impact of the construction traffic would not be severe, and that there is a suitable route from Elsmere Port to the wind farm site south of Newtown in Powys for the delivery of the turbine components, Peter Mansell was required to present evidence to the public inquiry in September 2013 covering local issues and in March 2014 covering strategic issues.

Now that the public inquiry has closed, we can only wait for the Inspector’s report and the decision by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, bringing to a conclusion the planning application process that commenced in 2007.

Other Projects

KTC has also been acting for Vattenfall on modifications to its consented access at the Nant Bach Wind Farm in North Wales where again access by AILs has been the requirement.

Solar energy is also becoming an important part of the renewable energy mix, and KTC has acted for British Solar Renewables and German company New Energy for the World on a number of solar farms in the UK, to demonstrate to the local highway authorities the suitability of the access routes for the construction lorries.