A FORMAL objection against a proposed windfarm in Radnorshire is to be made by Powys County Council.

The council's cabinet agreed it would object to applications for wind farms at Llanbadarn Fynnydd, north of Llandrindod Wells and Carnedd Wen, Llanbrynmair in Montgomeryshire when it met in Llandrindod Wells on Tuesday, March 13.

Earlier the full council had been given the opportunity to discuss the applications and both the full council meeting and the cabinet meeting were broadcast live on the authority's website.

The cabinet's decision was greeted by loud cheers from campaigners who'd listened intently to over seven hours of debating in the council chamber.

Both application are for developments with energy outputs above 50 megawatts and will be determined by the UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change with the county council a statutory consultee.

The authority determines planning applications for windfarms below 50 megawatts.

The cabinet decision to object to the two wind farm applications is likely to trigger a public inquiry.

Officers had recommended objecting to the applications, the Llanbadarn Fynnydd application on highway grounds and the Carnedd Wen application on environment impact and highway grounds.

After debating the reports, the cabinet added additional grounds for objecting to the applications.

They included the unacceptable landscape and visual impact of the applications including the detrimental effect on tourism and other economic factors.

A lack of certainty as to whether the proposed developments would contribute or result in the necessity for significant grid infrastructure development which may have the potential for further adverse impact on the landscape including visual, economic and environmental well-being of the area was also added.

The cabinet will also seek additional funding from the Welsh Government to aid with the cost of subsequent public inquiries.

Council leader, Councillor Michael Jones said: "The cabinet carefully considered reports for both applications and unanimously agreed to support the recommendations and formally object to the proposals.

"We object to both applications because of their impact on the county's environment, the impact on the highway infrastructure and because they fail to meet a number of important national and county planning policies."

The cabinet is expected to respond to four further Department of Energy and Climate Change wind farm applications by the end of September.

A week earlier the county council's planning committee refused an application for an 11 turbine wind farm at Waun Garno, Llawryglyn, near Carno.