Campaigners fighting a large scale wind farm in Mid Wales have welcomed demands by the Welsh Planning Inspectorate (PEDW) for more information and clarity on major aspects of the planning application.

Only two weeks after a public consultation on Bute Energy's Nant Mithil Energy Park application closed, PEDW Inspectors have written to the developers laying out additional requirements. The company now has until March 31 to respond.

Some local residents have been appalled at Bute Energy's plans for 30 giant wind turbines up to 220 metres tall on Radnor Forest, including the highest hill in Radnorshire. The turbines would be larger than any existing in England or Wales, and visible over a vast area of rural Mid Wales and beyond, into the English West Midlands. Because of their height, they would require red aviation lighting.

The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) and RE-think raised money to submit a joint response with professional reports on Renewable Energy Planning, Landscape Assessment, Ecology and Hydrology.

The Inspectors have now asked for answers and more information on points raised by Welsh Government Highways, Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council and over 2,000 public objections, a record according to PEDW.

Bute must prove that transport of such large turbines to Radnor Forest is actually feasible, provide proper plans for their two possible site entrances and consider the cumulative impact with related company Green Gen Cymru’s 96km energy export line to Llandyfaelog near Carmarthen.

PEDW has also asked for answers to a long list of questions about impacts on Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Presteigne Dark Sky Area, peat and other valuable soils and habitats, hydrology and drainage, the Radnor Forest SSSI, Common Land, protected bats and birds, the Wye Special Area of Conservation, Listed Buildings, safe transport, public rights of way, noise, shadow flicker, tourism, mental health and well-being of neighbours and rural tranquillity.

Bute is also invited to comment on the way their application relies on only revealing many of the important details of the project once permission is granted.

The list of PEDW requirements covers every chapter of the developer's Environmental Statement. This belies Bute’s stance that they have provided a quality submission ready for approval. They say the only significant effects remaining after their careful design would be a few visual impacts of the large turbines on nearby areas and impacts on the Radnor Forest heritage sites within their wind farm boundary.

Last month, hundreds of angry protesters, including from CPRW and RE-think, demonstrated at the Senedd to tell the Welsh Government exactly how they felt about what they describe as the “forced industrialisation” of Mid Wales.

Jonty Colchester, Chair of CPRW said: “CPRW is delighted that Bute is not getting away with a shoddy application showing complete disregard for our precious Mid-Wales environment and contempt for the well-being of Radnorshire people."

Jenny Chryss, Campaign Lead for RE-think added: "This application came from an arrogant developer who clearly thought that Wales was a pushover and that it could use the people of Radnorshire as guinea pigs for this enormous scheme. Thankfully they have been called to account. Now, if they insist on continuing with this appalling attempt to industrialise our precious environment they must produce a far more thorough, coherent and above all transparent version of their plans."

In response to comments made by the campaigners, a spokesperson for Bute Energy said: "We are in contact with PEDW following the five-week consultation period which recently closed. We thank everyone in the community for their feedback at this stage, and in earlier consultations as we refine our designs and project plans. Requests from Planning Inspectors for further information are commonplace at this stage of the application process. We will review what has been requested and respond to PEDW by the deadline set.

"Nant Mithil's progress through the planning system as a Development of National Significance represents a significant step for energy infrastructure in Wales. The project is set to create more than £168m in GVA for Powys across the lifetime of the project, supporting local jobs, businesses and industry. Nant Mithil will play a meaningful role in securing Wales' future energy and economy."