Welsh Conservatives will tomorrow call on the Assembly Government to abandon plans to erect wind turbines on Forestry Commission land.
The party is accusing the Labour-Plaid administration of being at odds with itself over efforts to tackle climate change and protect the country’s natural environment.
The Assembly Government owns nearly 40 per cent of all forestry land in Wales.
Yet last October the First Minister said the administration would release government-owned land for the development of wind farm projects.
Welsh Conservatives are concerned that this announcement will open the floodgates for more major wind farm developments on some of the most beautiful parts of Wales.
In a debate in the National Assembly tomorrow the party will call for a review into TAN8, the technical guidance relating to wind farm developments.
Welsh Conservatives will also highlight the importance of maintaining forestry land as “carbon sinks” in the fight against climate change.
Shadow Environment Minister Darren Millar AM said today there are “glaring inconsistencies and competing interests” in the Assembly Government’s strategic environmental priorities.
He also warned of significant tree-felling if the Government persists with its “blinkered” programme of the proliferation of onshore wind technology on forestry land.
The Labour-Plaid government’s One Wales agreement commits the two parties to “provide support for indigenous woodlands, including a tree for all new babies and adopted children, helping to create a Welsh national forest of native trees”.
Shadow Environment Minister Darren Millar AM said:
“The Assembly Government is clearly at odds with itself over its sustainability and environmental strategic objectives.
“On the one had it is handing over significant tracks of Government-owned forestry land to wind farm developers in order for it to be felled.
“Yet on the other ministers are stressing the importance of maintaining Welsh forests because of their value to the Welsh economy and in tackling climate change.
“We need to ensure the long-term future of forests not hand them over for short-term development.
“Welsh Conservatives are not against wind energy. What we are opposed to is the imposition of large-scale wind farms against the wishes of local people, which have a devastating impact on communities and the local environment.
“We believe that a balanced approach should be taken to renewable energy which will create more opportunities for British business and have a far less intrusive impact on our landscape.
“New green technologies have been sidelined in Wales because Rhodri Morgan has failed to show leadership and develop a more diverse mix of renewable energy sources.
“We also believe wind farm applications must have the support of local communities before being given the go-ahead.”