renewable energy

Wind farm will be built after Tory wrecking effort defeated

The Scarweather Sands offshore windfarm will now be built after the proposed project scaled its last remaining hurdle in the Welsh Assembly. Assembly Members today blocked an effort by Tories to have a decision by the Assembly planning committee overturned. Opponents of the clean energy project have now run out of options to defeat the proposal.

Greenpeace has accused the Welsh Tory party of hypocrisy and being a serious impediment in the battle against global warming after Tory Welsh assembly members moved to block an offshore wind farm. Michael Howard, in his keynote speech on the environment and the threat of global warming last week (13th September), accused the Labour government of neglecting offshore wind energy, pointing to its environmental and economic benefits. Despite this, Tories on the Welsh Assembly are trying to stop an offshore windfarm, at Scarweather Sands in Swansea Bay, from getting the go-ahead.

Campaigners this morning projected a huge message onto the Assembly building in Cardiff. The environmental group Greenpeace emblazoned the words "80% Want Offshore Wind" across the front of the Cardiff Bay building in 30ft high letters. The move came as Assembly Members returned today for the new session, ready to decide the fate of a proposed wind farm at Scarweather Sands off Porthcawl.

Commenting on Michael Howard's speech on global warming this morning, Greenpeace campaigner Jim Footner said:

More people than ever support building wind farms, despite a concerted campaign against them over recent months. A new poll by ICM, released today, shows that 80 percent support government plans to significantly increase the number of wind turbines in Britain, with just eight percent opposed.

The poll is released as the leaders of the two major political parties make speeches on global warming. Michael Howard will speak tomorrow morning at the Institute of Directors while Tony Blair will address a business and environment conference hosted by Prince Charles on Tuesday.

Our campaign supporting the planning proposal for a new on-shore wind farm at Hinkley Point in Somerset has received a timely boost - poll results from Somerset County Council's recent Environment and Quality of Life Survey, show a high level of public awareness and concern about environmental issues. The survey was undertaken between February and April this year, and sought the views of over 4,000 local people on local environmental policy and quality of life.