CARMARTHENSHIRE Residents’ Action Group (CRAiG Sir Gâr) held its first residents’ meeting at St Peter’s Civic Hall on Saturday 16th March with calls for a moratorium on the industrialisation of Carmarthenshire’s countryside and a Tywi Valley AONB.
Over 100 residents, including many pylon campaigners, turned to support the event with local politicians Jonathan Edwards MP, Simon Hart MP and Rachel Evans of the Countryside Alliance as the main speakers.
Issues discussed included Welsh Government’s Future Wales 2040 plan, which has designated a third of Carmarthenshire for industrial windfarm development. Carmarthenshire’s 588.5 mw renewables target meaning the equivalent of ten windfarms the size of Brechfa, and the need to preserve Carmarthenshire’s pristine Tywi Valley.
Concerns were also raised about the conflict of interest due to Carmarthenshire’s funding of Bute Energy through its pensions scheme and Plaid Cymru’s recent ennoblement of Bute Energy’s public affairs Officer Carmen Smith.
Havard Hughes, spokesperson for the Carmarthenshire Residents’ Action Group commented, “Saturday’s packed event at St Peter’s Civic Hall marks the first in a series of campaign events for CRAiG as we push forward with our demand for a moratorium on the pylons and turbines and for an AONB for the Tywi Valley.
“It was great to be joined by Jonathan Edwards MP, Simon Hart MP and Rachel Evans from the Countryside Alliance who all set out their concerns for the future of Carmarthenshire and our rural way of life. The policies coming forward from Welsh Government and Carmarthenshire County Council from farm payments, to renewables and forestry mean that our countryside, communities and Welsh language are facing an existential threat.
“With a third of the county set to face industrial wind development there is growing concern amongst residents. Already we have pylon chains proposed for the Tywi Valley, Cothi Valley and from the Teifi to the Tywi along the A485. These chains of pylons are just the start. Carmarthenshire hasn’t seen development like this since the industrial revolution.
“CRAiG will be making representations when the local plan receives its examination to protect our landscapes. We’re urging residents to write to their politicians to request Natural Resources Wales begin the process of AONB designation for the Tywi Valley. We’re also urging people to sign the Senedd petition 246039 calling for the recognition of the Tywi Valley as an AONB.”
