Scarweather wind farm is not dead and buried yet, warns Assembly Member

12.00.00am GMT Wed 14th Dec 2005

Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has warned campaigners that the decision to suspend the construction of the Scarweather wind farm is not the end of the matter.

Mr. Black was commenting on the announcement by German firm E.on to shelve plans for 30 wind turbines, each 440 feet tall, until at least 2008 on the grounds that the cost of the turbines and raw materials have risen and made the project uneconomic. He believes that this announcement is a negotiating position by E.on and that they are angling for a government grant, possibly amounting to 10% of the cost of the scheme, so as to take the project forward and help Labour meet their targets on renewable energy.

"Like everybody else I was taken by surprise by this announcement by E.on," said Mr. Black. "However, I do not believe for one moment that this decision means that they have no intention of building the wind farm. I believe instead that they are trying to put pressure on the Government to give them a grant to help construct the turbines and that they are counting on Labour's commitment to achieve their energy targets to get it."

"I raised this issue in the Assembly's Economic Development Committee last week and am looking to the Minister there to state categorically that no grant will be forthcoming for the scheme. Those who believe, like I do, that this wind farm should not be built as it is too close to Porthcawl, need to continue to be on their guard that its construction is not facilitated by the Government."