May start date for Nant Mithil statutory consultation “announced”
Bute Energy lets slip statutory consultation date for Nant Mithill Energy Park
PRESS RELEASE
Revealed: Bute’s hidden planning timeline for flagship Radnor Forest “energy park.”
Date: Sunday 10th March 2024
Embargo: none
RE-think has learnt that the formal public consultation period for controversial plans to build a giant “energy park” on and around Radnor Forest is to start in May.
The proposed Nant Mithil Energy Park would cover 1,922 hectares and include 36 wind turbines, each 220 metres tall. All but seven of these would lie outside an area pre-assessed by the Welsh Government as favourable for wind development.
So far Bute has kept secret details of its proposed future timeline for this flagship development. Unlike its other projects, the forward “project timeline” on the “Nant Mithil Energy Park” website gives no indication of timescales. This has caused confusion and frustration to local communities.
However, RE-think has seen written evidence that Bute Energy intends to trigger the formal planning process for Nant Mithil within the next two months.
A statutory formal consultation period lasting at least six weeks is part of the process which developers must observe if they intend to make a planning application for a Development of National Significance (DNS)*. Until now Bute has failed to disclose when this will happen in the case of Nant Mithil.
This important part of the DNS process allows communities, councillors, specialists and other stakeholders to comment on the plans. The applicant must include a report on the outcome of the consultation in any future DNS planning application, so it is vital that everyone gets the chance to have their say.
Jenny Chryss, Campaign Lead for RE-think said: “This just goes to show the duplicity of this company. They clearly know perfectly well what the timeline is but have failed to notify local communities, thus potentially denying them the chance to properly prepare. This statutory consultation period is a vital part of the process. Local people must be armed with the knowledge they need to ask challenging questions about the proposals. For that they need to know what is happening when.
“Bute knows exactly how controversial this proposal is for very many different reasons. It’s beyond contempt for them to cause such uncertainty and anxiety by keeping this impending consultation timeline hidden from the public.”
END
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information please email rethinkwales@gmail.com or call Jenny on 07850 726383.
*The Developments of National Significance (DNS) system is used to determine planning applications for major infrastructure projects in Wales. Any proposals for a renewable energy scheme between 10 MW and 350MW must go through this process. The application is made to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW.) An inspector will examine the case and make a recommendation on whether to approve or reject it to the relevant Welsh Government Minister who will make the final decision.
DNS process
Applicant submits a notice of intent to make a DNS application. PEDW has 10 working days to approve or otherwise. There is nothing to suggest that this has yet been submitted for Nant Mithil (10/3/24.)
From the date of approval, the applicant has 12 months in which to submit the DNS application
During that 12-month period the applicant must hold a statutory pre-application consultation period of at least 6 weeks. The development must be advertised and communities, specialists and other stakeholders consulted.
The applicant must submit a report on the outcome of the consultation along with the DNS planning application.
