This site has been identified as having excellent wind resource and good site access. We’ve undertaken extensive site and desk-based technical studies as well as environmental feasibility assessments to help us demonstrate that the site is optimal for renewable energy generation.

Bute Energy is seeking to deliver an energy park which will provide approximately 120MW of clean, green energy using the latest wind turbine technology – enough to power between 86,000 and 113,000 homes.

The proposed development includes 18 wind turbines with a maximum blade tip height of 200m, turbine foundations, crane hardstanding and laydown/storage areas.

The site will have access tracks and an electrical substation.

There will be temporary construction and storage compounds and borrow pits on site during construction.

The proposals have been updated following the results of surveys and feedback received from the community and key stakeholders as part of our earlier consultation.

We’ve altered our site design to:

• Reduce potential shadow flicker and noise at nearby properties;
• Reduce development on common land;
• Minimise impacts on landscape, visual amenity and historic features; and
• Minimise impacts on the watercourses across the site.

We’re proposing to upgrade an existing road junction and highway to the wind farm site to minimise the amount of new development on Aberedw Hill.

We’ve selected a substation location near the A481 which will be designed to look like a farm shed and will create an easier connection to the grid. This will have its own upgraded access from the A481.

We’ve agreed our aviation lighting scheme with the Civil Aviation Authority and complies with Ministry of Defence guidance.

In addition to producing the cleaner, greener more sustainable energy needed to tackle the climate emergency, Aberedw Energy Park will deliver significant benefits to the local community.

For every megawatt of energy that Aberedw Energy Park has the capacity to generate, there’ll be £7,500 invested in the local community. This will see an annual Community Benefit fund in the region of up to £900,000 each year over the lifespan of the project.

The Community Benefit Fund will be administered through an independent charitable entity to support local communities to create legacy projects, support charities and groups and to improve services.

The fund is also linked to the Consumer Price Index to allow for economic inflation and to future proof the funding.

Informed by engagement with local people and stakeholders, community benefit funding will focus on creating healthier, wealthier communities by supporting recreational, health and wellbeing improvements, enhancing local education offering and identifying more pathways into employment for local people. It will also highlight opportunities to celebrate and promote local culture, heritage, and biodiversity.

The primary access point for Aberedw Energy Park will be via an upgraded access junction off of the C1336 road. This upgraded access junction will provide the sole access for all abnormal loads associated with the turbine deliveries as well as access for HGV’s delivering construction materials and access for the construction workers.

A second access point is located directly off the A481, north of the Site, solely to facilitate access to the substation during construction and operation. There will be no access from the substation to the main wind turbine area of the site.

Any additional works required for the transport of abnormal loads requiring separate consent will be submitted in consultation with the relevant local planning and highway authorities.

A Transport Management Plan will be developed in collaboration with the police, highway authorities, and hauliers to ensure the safe and efficient transport of components and to ensure as minimal disruption as possible, for example it considers school run times and key events.

As the generating capacity of the proposed Energy Park is more than 10MW of energy, it falls under the planning category known as a Development of National Significance (DNS).

DNS applications are submitted to Welsh Government Ministers to decide via Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW). Local stakeholders and residents are able to provide their views at multiple stages of the planning process, including our non-statutory consultation in autumn 2023 and the pre-application and determination phases. The submission date for the DNS application is expected later in 2025.

Powys County Council is a key statutory consultee and will prepare a Local Impact Report for PEDW on the application.

The project will deliver net benefit for biodiversity over its lifetime, including creating and restoring habitats. These enhancements brought under appropriate management for the duration of the plan (40 years), will also benefit wildlife across the site by increasing the quality, quantity, diversity and connectivity of habitats from what is currently present.

We’ve carefully measured noise and assessed its impact, following best practice, relevant legislation and working with Powys County Council. This helps set noise limits that protect local residents. If planning permission is granted, it will include strict limits, which we are committed to following.

Any temporary noise during construction will be managed with a Construction Environmental Management Plan. This will include clear working hours, noise control measures, and scheduled delivery times to keep disruption to a minimum.

It is common for farmers to continue rearing livestock on land where wind turbines are located. There are many examples of land next to and below wind turbines being used for a range of recreational activities, from walking and running, to cycling and horse riding.

During construction, access to the site will be managed and some activities may be restricted. Once the Energy Park is up and running, normal activities on the site can resume.

As a part of this application, we will ensure that replacement land is transferred to the common to compensate for the loss of common land. There may be temporary restrictions to the common during construction.

During construction, some public rights of ways (PRoWs) paths may need to be temporarily rerouted for safety. We’ll get the proper approvals and keep communities informed. After construction, all paths will be restored.

At our other sites, we’ve improved access and recreation, and we plan to do the same at Aberedw through a Strategic Recreation Framework developed with stakeholders.

We’ve conducted extensive archaeological and historic background assessments of the site and surrounding area. These assessments found designated historic assets within the site, which the design of the proposed development has now carefully considered. Our Construction Environmental Management Plan will set out best practice measures to reduce harm to the historic environment during construction.

During construction, we’ll employ archaeologists to preserve, and record remains of any undesignated assets that may be physically impacted, with works agreed with Heneb (formerly Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust).

In Mid Wales, the current electricity network can’t handle all the new clean energy planned. To move away from fossil fuels, we need new infrastructure – and fast.

Before our non-statutory consultation in Autumn 2023, Green GEN Cymru proposed the Towy Usk line to connect the nearby Nant Mithil site to the national grid network. Since then, the Aberedw Grid Connection project has been proposed to connect the Aberedw Energy Park to the grid.

Green GEN Towy Usk and Aberedw are subject to separate planning applications and more details can be found at https://www.greengentowyusk.com/ and https://www.greengenaberedw.com/

Bute Energy is committed to maximising the use of local supply chains and businesses to ensure that the investment, jobs, and training potential of the project are maximised.

We want to build a network of local suppliers over the next 18 months, so we have a list of interested businesses ready to contact once we get planning permission. If you’re a local supplier and want to be considered, please get in touch to register your interest.

We’re pleased to confirm that a planning application for Aberedw Energy Park was submitted to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) on 1 May 2026.

PEDW is currently reviewing the applications to ensure all required information has been submitted. Once accepted, the documents will be available to view on the PEDW Casework Portal. PEDW will then start its own five-week consultation which will be your final opportunity to give your views on the proposals.