I live in Carmarthenshire. It’s filled with some beautiful countryside and I feel lucky to experience it on a daily basis. The Brechfa turbines will be visually intrusive, from great distances- I know, a whole bunch of them are currently being erected on Mynydd yr Gwair, just above where I live.
We are a VERY energy hungry nation. Producing electricity by traditional means (esp. by burning fossil fuels) is no longer a wholly acceptable option and as such alternative methods of sustaining our lifestyles need to be sought. Efforts are being made to improve energy efficiency- e.g. ‘better’ appliances, more highly insulated buildings, retro- fitting improvements etc. Many of these can/ have been grant-aided. However, when all is said and done, we have a finite quantity of hydro-carbons available to us (what ever that may be, figures are conflicting) so it seems to make sense to delay their consumption as much as possible and to reduce CO2 output as well.
I was wholly unaware of the planned schemes at Brechfa and annoyed! that I missed the consultation. I’d have voiced support for the scheme overall but would have suggested that an alternative MTB route/ routes were put in place during construction work.
As others have implied, ‘Bye bye Brechfa’ is a strong title. Local providers are making a living from the MTB trails and may well be hit by closures- they will also be hit by carelessly worded internet threads.
Brechfa is a working forest that has several roles to play. These roles continue to evolve. Initially timber for pit props and trench warfare, later for pulp, later still for construction timber. Only relatively recently has the remit for providing a pleasant landscape come in, and even more recent still, the provision of leisure activities. And as yet, all of these at Brechfa are provided free of additional charge.
I’m not complaining about the turbines. It is a shame that the way they are to be constructed seems to be going to damage people’s livelihoods, albeit on a temporary basis.
