The Project

The project will deliver net benefit for biodiversity over its lifetime, including creating and restoring habitats. These enhancements brought under appropriate habitat management for the 40-year duration of the project, will benefit wildlife across the site by increasing the quality, diversity and connectivity of habitats.

We’ve carried out detailed bird surveys across the site, including vantage point, breeding season, bird of prey and winter walkover surveys.

Particular attention has been given to species such as Goshawk, Red Kite and Golden Plover which may be impacted during construction and / or may be at risk of collision.

To reduce the risk, we’ve used collision risk modelling to help shape the site design and reduce potential impacts. We’ve added buffer zones around protected bird nesting sites and a Bird Protection Plan will guide construction to avoid disturbance.

We’ve carried out a range of surveys to understand the site’s current water environment and ground conditions, including desk studies and fieldwork. Soil was tested in various locations, and all water features were carefully mapped. Small areas of peaty soils have been identified and avoided in the design.

Several private water supplies are present on site. To protect them, we’ll conduct further assessments and regularly monitor water quality during construction. These findings will shape detailed Soil, Surface Water, and Construction Environmental Management Plans, developed with experts and kept up to date throughout construction and operation.

We’ve worked closely with the Civil Aviation Authority, National Air Traffic Services, and the Ministry of Defence to ensure our plans comply with aviation safety regulations fully. Given the height of the turbines, aviation safety lighting will be required and wherever possible, the final lighting configuration will be optimised to minimise visual impact on the local area and impact on aviation.

Special lighting would be used to reduce brightness downward, making it less visible from below.

We’ve completed a comprehensive Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, reviewing key viewpoints up to 28km from the outermost turbines of the site and 33 km within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in consultation with Powys County Council’s landscape experts.

We’ve also undertaken a detailed Residential Visual Amenity Assessment of every residential property with 2km of the site.

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

There will be a significant effect on the setting of two designated historic assets, Aberedw Hill Round Barrows (Cadw Ref. RD074) and Cwmblaenerw Enclosed Long Hut (Cadw Ref. RD169), while the Energy Park is operational. This impact will cease once the park is decommissioned.

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).

We’ve assessed the potential for shadow flicker at nearby residential properties – which is a phenomenon caused by the rotation of turbine blades casting intermittent shadows under certain weather conditions. This effect can be accurately predicted, and we’ll implement mitigation measures such as temporarily shutting down turbines during peak shadow flicker periods.

We’ve carried out thorough noise monitoring and impact assessments in line with best practice, relevant legislation and in consultation with Powys County Council. This ensures that noise limits are set to protect local residents and safeguard residential amenity.

Any planning permission granted will include strict noise limits, and we have taken steps through the design of the project to ensure these limits are not exceeded. Temporary noise during construction will be managed through a Construction Environmental Management Plan, which includes restricted working hours to minimise disruption.

We have calculated that within the first year of operation Aberedw Energy Park will have produced enough green energy to payback the carbon cost of its construction and operation against a fossil-fuel mix of electricity generation.

The carbon cost to build, operate and maintain the Energy Park has been calculated as part of the planning application. This includes the carbon created in the construction of the turbines, the concrete used in the foundations and the carbon released when digging foundations, and the projected 40 year operational life.

The Energy Park is located centrally in Wales, so we are considering two route options for deliveries of turbine components into ports located either to Birkenhead in the north or Swansea in the south.

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.

The proposed layout includes a significant change regarding the proposed substation.

During the Aberedw Grid Connection consultation undertaken by Green GEN Cymru in 2024, it was advised that the substation for Aberedw Energy Park would be located on the top of Aberedw Hill, with a wooden pole overhead line to connect it to an electrical switching station proposed as part of the Towy Usk project and the wider grid.

We have now identified a new location for the substation at the base of Aberedw Hill, using underground cables to transmit power from the turbines to the substation. The grid transformer and switchgear equipment will be within a building, designed to appear like an agricultural building to fit in with the local environment. This will lie close to the electrical switching station proposed as part of the Green Gen Towy Usk project.

This now means:

• Underground cabling to the substation potentially removes the need for a wooden pole connection down the side of Aberedw Hill.

• Less visual impact from the substation and grid connection.

• Removal of infrastructure from common land.

• Easier access to the substation due to being located next to a main road.

• Easier access to the grid network.