The claims
When asked questions in a face-to-face meeting with Peter Black, the
Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Swansea West, United Utilities
spokespersons made the following claims:
· It is not possible to site
the turbines further offshore because of the depths involved.
· There will be no noise from the turbines.
· The acoustic effects from the turbines will be less than
background noise.
· Disturbance of the seabed will be minimal.
· It is unlikely that pollutants will be released into the
sea.
· If this wind farm goes ahead there will be no addition to
the 30 turbines.
· Government rules state that no other offshore wind farm can
be situated within 10 km of an existing one.
· The RAF and Civil Aviation Authority have had no objections
to this wind farm.
· The wind farm is not on the route of any migratory birds,
and it has been concluded that there are very few other birds in this
area. (Reference was made here to a series of surveys carried out
with the Countryside Council for Wales). United Utilities predicted
that more birds will die in collisions with vehicles and buildings
than with the turbines.
· The only marine life in the vicinity consists of mobile species
that will return to the area once construction is completed. The shelter
provided by the construction may attract other species to the area.
· The construction, based at Port Talbot, will have no impact
on Porthcawl as a town, other than being visible from there.
· There will be no impact on surf or surfing from the wind
farm.
· In seeking planning permission, United Utilities intends
to bypass the DTI. The company will instead apply to the Welsh Assembly
government under the Transport and Works Act. The decision is therefore
likely to be made by the Environment Minister or by a small planning
committee with delegated powers which will not include local members.
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especially of a technical nature, relating to any of these issues
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