The proposed offshore windfarm at Scarweather Sands in Swansea Bay,
South Wales, today passed one of the last remaining hurdles to its
construction. In a decision that will be applauded by all supporters
of clean energy, it was given the go ahead by the Planning Committee
of the Welsh National Assembly.
Robin Oakley of Greenpeace said: “This decision is brilliant
news for the environment and brilliant news for the people of
Swansea Bay.
“Swansea Bay residents are overwhelmingly in favour of
this project. Over three times as many local people supported
this windfarm than opposed it, proving that clean energy provided
by wind is exactly what the public want.
“Assembly Members must now listen to the people and get
this windfarm built quickly.”
The Scarweather Sands project has proved popular among residents
of South Wales. In an independent poll carried out by ICM Research
and released in November, 54% of respondents said they supported
the windfarm proposal, while only 14% said they were opposed.
Besides this, almost 9,000 supportive letters and e-postcards
were sent to the Welsh Assembly.
The windfarm will also prove to be a boon to the local tourist
industry. In a survey carried out last summer, 96% of visitors
questioned said they were more likely or just as likely to return
to the Swansea Bay resort of Porthcawl if the turbines go up.
Lying three miles off the coast of Porthcawl, the Scarweather
Sands windfarm will produce enough electricity to supply 80,000
homes - equivalent to a town the size of Swansea.
