Update 15/4/2026: Bute has now submitted a response to the planning inspectors’ request for further information, see LINK. However, Bute have not accepted that their original application documents were deficient and have selected the topics on which they will provide further information. Bute suggested they required another month until 1/5/2026 to provide this information but PEDW has given them 2 weeks more  – until 15/5/26 – to ensure a “robust response to the matters raised”. PEDW have proposed a consultation opening May 22nd and closing 26th June and Hearing times to be set in future – see LINK.

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Campaigners fighting an industrial 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 31st March to respond.
Local residents and others further afield 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 which included professional reports on Renewable Energy Planning, Landscape Assessment, Historic Environment, 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 extraordinary 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 the forced industrialisation of beautiful 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.”

For more information contact:
CPRW (Brecon and Radnor) 07973 540684
Jenny Chryss, Campaign Lead, RE-think 07850 726383