If consented, Y Bryn would be one of Wales’ largest onshore wind farms. The proposed wind turbines are in two blocks of Welsh Government Woodland Estate managed by Natural Resources Wales
With it being Great Big Green Week, the biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature, developers Coriolis Energy and ESB are inviting local communities and stakeholders to discuss the draft application for the proposed Y Bryn Wind Farm in Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.
The proposed wind turbines are in two blocks of Welsh Government Woodland Estate managed by Natural Resources Wales which fall largely within Neath Port Talbot County Borough, and stretch, in parts, into Bridgend County Borough. The Afan Valley and Neath lie to the west, with the Llynfi Valley and Maesteg to the east.
The announcement follows two earlier phases of consultation on initial proposals in 2021, and the developers are once again seeking local opinion and feedback as part of its Pre-Application Consultation for the project.
The draft application for Y Bryn could deliver up to 130MW of renewable energy generation, equivalent to the annual needs of 68% of households in Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend combined, whilst offsetting over 137,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel generation each year.
There have been further revisions since the initial proposals, with the number of the proposed turbines being reduced from 21 to 18 with some being reduced in height and others being relocated to minimise landscape and visual impact to Bryn village and surrounding communities.
Additional information on the ground-breaking community benefit and local ownership package, as well as a new bespoke fund for improvements to recreational infrastructure, have also been released, alongside details of the construction process, and environmental considerations.
The full schedule of the five public consultation events is outlined below:
Bryn Community Centre Maesteg Road, Bryn, Neath Port Talbot, SA13 2RY
Monday 12 June
2pm-7pm
Tai Bach Community Centre Duke Street, Taibach, Neath Port Talbot, SA13 1NA
Tuesday 13 June
2pm-7pm
Cefn Cribwr Athletic Club, Cae Gof, Bridgend, CF32 0BA
Wednesday 14 June
2pm-7pm
Maesteg Sports Centre, Old Forge Site, Nant-y-Crynwydd, Maesteg, CF34 9EB
Friday 16 June
2pm-7pm
Cwmafan Community Centre, Depot Road, Port Talbot SA12 9BA
Saturday 17 June
2pm-7pm
An online virtual exhibition available on the project website (www.ybryn-windfarm.cymru) will be available throughout the Pre-Application Consultation period. This will include details of the revised proposal, as well as information about the construction process and environmental considerations.
The deadline for comment on the Pre-Application Consultation is Monday 17 July 2023
Trevor Hunter, Y Bryn Project Manager said:
“We are excited to be bringing the draft application to Pre-Application Consultation after we have had so much interest and engagement throughout the process so far.
“We’re looking forward to hearing the feedback following the refinements we have made to the project, and we are proud of the final proposals, and we look forward to discussing these with the local communities at the public exhibitions.”
Regarding the package of community benefits linked with the project, Trevor went on to say:
“The project will offer many opportunities for community benefit and ownership, and we are excited to see local people getting involved in the schemes on offer.
“During the first and second phases of consultation, there was a huge amount of feedback regarding the approach to community benefit and ownership – both of which are a high priority for the project.
“Since then, we’ve had a high level of further engagement as a result of our recent supply chain event and our community benefits workshop, which indicates to us that there is a real eagerness to find out more about the project and potentially get involved.”
A memorandum of understanding has been signed with Awel Aman Tawe (AAT), Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service (NPTCVS) and Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations (BAVO) to establish the ‘Awel y Bryn’ Co-op', which will help deliver the Community Ownership Scheme and ground-breaking community benefit fund.
The Co-op will deliver £8,000/MW (per Mega Watt) to the community benefit fund, which could be in the region of £1million per year for the lifetime of the project. In addition, a stake of up to 20% for local ownership (10% local individuals and community groups, and 10% for public sector bodies) will be made available.
Announcing a new Access Management and Enhancement Plan Fund, Trevor continued:
“We’re also delighted to be able to announce our commitment to enhancing the recreational value of the site and surrounding areas through a new fund worth at least £500,000 prior to the start of construction, followed by an ongoing £50,000 each year during the operating life of the project.
“The funds will initially provide for the modernisation and maintenance of the Penhydd and Blue Scar Mountain biking trails. Going forward, measures to support and promote greater use of e-Bikes, including installation of charging infrastructure, and exploring a new strategic link between the Afan Forest Park and Margam Park trails, will be developed in consultation with key stakeholders and communities.”
As this project will deliver more than 10MW of wind energy it will constitute a Development of National Significance (DNS) under the Planning (Wales) Act 2015, so an application must be made to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, which will make a recommendation to Welsh Ministers on whether or not to grant planning permission.
