Wind Farms in North Wales - Yeah or Nay?

[Arwen]

This is an interesting dilemma. On one hand a wind farm is an environmentally beneficial way to gather energy. On the other a massive farm such as they're proposing can be horridly ugly.

Not to pre-dispose anyone to anything, but enlarge the image in the 'Wall of Steel' paragraph on this page and see what you think of the view.

Gwynt y Môr Wind Farm

[Hazel]

As an outsider, I say let the residents decide. I find our wind farms out west rather attractive and they do a world of good but they are far out in sparsely populated areas. It makes a difference. Will Wales benefit as much and is there a better way? It's their decision.

[Arwen]

Quite true. But turns out it's not the Welsh who get to decide anyway, according to the article.

The Llandudno project will not be decided on by the local planning authority - the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to judge whether it should go ahead.

Councillor Gareth Jones expressed his "dismay" at the meeting that the decision would be taken outside Wales.

So I thought it might be a fun topic for a poll.

[Arwen]

There, I've added a new option "Not for me to decide".

[ForumLead]

They can be beautiful in a strange sort of way.

I'm not sure if I'd like a wind farm built by me though: I'm a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)

People complain about the noise the farms make - if that happens to you, then all you can do is put up with it or move home. Not good either way.

Wind Farms - a very tricky topic.


David

[Hazel]

Quite true. But turns out it's not the Welsh who get to decide anyway, according to the article.

The Llandudno project will not be decided on by the local planning authority - the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to judge whether it should go ahead.

Councillor Gareth Jones expressed his "dismay" at the meeting that the decision would be taken outside Wales.

So I thought it might be a fun topic for a poll.

Hmmm???? In that case, I want a vote!!!! First I'll poll my Welsh friends and ask them what they want. Then, I'll vote with the majority. Never back a loser

[Hazel]

They can be beautiful in a strange sort of way.

I'm not sure if I'd like a wind farm built by me though: I'm a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)

People complain about the noise the farms make - if that happens to you, then all you can do is put up with it or move home. Not good either way.

Wind Farms - a very tricky topic.


David

David, they do indeed "sing". We could hear them in the car as we drove along and they were not close to the highway. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"?

[siopybont]

We think wind farms are beautiful and as one Planning Inspector said "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". People don't even mention the fact that there are ugly low-lying electricity pylons throughout the Country. There is a dreadful "law" in this country called NIMBY's Law. We don't know whether you are acquainted with it - standing for "Not In My Back Yard"......if the people don't like it, all thoughts of common sense go flying out through the window.



Maldwyn and Ann

[Arwen]

I don't know. They have a certain beauty in the symmetry of the rows, but overall I don't find wind farms all that pretty. I prefer unmarred vistas - particularly when looking out to sea. I don't think it would have the same peace and serenity if there are structures on the horizon.

[Hazel]

If you want an unmarred vista, you will have to do away with all houses, roads, barns, stores, utility poles, hospitals, whatever man has put on earth.

Are you ready?

[Arwen]

Well, no that's not really true. There are plenty of unmarred vistas around - just a matter of finding them.

But there shouldn't be structures in the sea, in my opinion. We've been fighting against offshore oil rigs here in California forever. They have them down in the southland, but so far we've been spared (not for long I fear) here in North State. Oil paraphenalia is horribly ugly - land or sea based.

[Hazel]

No structures in the sea? No ships?

[Arwen]

Ships are transient.

[Sionned]

That is one thing I thought when I looked at that picture. When I was in Llandudno, that view usually had a ship or two in it. I sat in my room one night and watched the lights of some ship that never seemed to come nearer nor go farther away.

We went to see some of those windmills on dry land last time we were in Wales. On Anglesey, they're dotted all over the sheep pastures. Those things are HUGE! My husband was really taken with the sheer power you could feel as those long blades swooped around. I've a picture somewhere, I'll see if I can find and post it.

Sionned

Found it!

[Hazel]

Thanks for the picture, Sionned. Except for the blades, they look like our humongous utility poles - the ones that carrry the main lines. Slowly, they are putting all of our lines below-ground. I don't know what will happen to those poles then. And, where will the birds sit? You've seen them fill the wires, no doubt.