The latest consultation on plans to build a wind farm just outside Corwen begins today and will run for eight weeks.
The proposed Gaerwen Wind Farm originally planned to install 13 wind turbines just south-west of Corwen around Llyn Mynllod.
Following consultations in 2022 and 2023 around the scheme, the number of turbines has been reduced to nine. Two of those turbines have been increased to 200m high with seven at 180m - following advice from ecology experts to reduce the impact of the development on deep peat in the area, the effects on birdlife and the visual impact of the farm.
The company behind the project is RWE, Wales’ largest renewable energy generator. The current plans for the Gaerwen site, north-east of Bala, would develop wind farm capable of generating 59 megaWatts of electricity, enough to provide energy for up to 48,000 homes in Denbighshire and Gwynedd.
The consultation begins today - Wednesday, July 10 - and runs until September 4. The draft Environmental Statement and planning documents is now available on the Gaerwen Wind Farm website: www.rwe.com/gaerwen.
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A virtual exhibition will display a video overview of the project, maps, photomontages of what the wind farm could look like, information boards and there will be an online feedback form.
A draft Non-Technical Summary of the draft Environmental Statement will be available to view at Y Ganolfan - Llandrillo, Corwen Library and Bala Library.
There will also be events for the public to attend to learn more and give feedback to the consultation. There the project team and representatives from Community Energy Wales will answer questions in detail on different aspects of the proposals. There will also be an online exhibition.
The consultation will be visiting Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy in Cynwyd between 4-8pm on Thursday, July 18, Neuadd Bro Derfel in Bala on Friday, July 19 from 3-7pm and Y Ganolfan, Llandrillo from 10am-2pm on Saturday, August 17.
Arfon Edwards, RWE’s Project Manager for the development, said: "Having spent a number of years gathering survey and other information and refining many different aspects of the scheme, we are now ready to share our proposals with the public in order to hear their views and suggestions.
"After our previous consultation we made a number of changes which have enabled us to maximise the renewable energy generation from this site as well as avoiding important deep peat areas.
"In our draft Environmental Statement we have set out actions to mitigate any effect on protected species including ground nesting birds such as curlew, lapwing and other breeding wader species."
Following the consultation the planning application will be considered by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), with a final decision by the Senedd anticipated in 2025.
As the proposed site is partly on registered common land within the Mynydd Mynyllod commons, RWE will also require separate consent from the Senedd to develop on common land.
For further information on the scheme visit www.rwe.com/Gaerwen.
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