Monmouth MS Challenges Welsh Government on Environmental Impact of Candwr Solar Farm

Member of the Senedd for Monmouth, Peter Fox, has raised the issue of the Candwr Solar Farm during a question on the Gwent Levels SSSI.

During questions to the Deputy First Minister for Wales on Wednesday, Mr Fox took the opportunity to highlight the impact the proposed Solar Farm near Ponthir will have on the surrounding area.

The proposal, which will see over 300 acres of land converted into a solar farm near Ponthir, covering parts of Monmouthshire, Torfaen and Newport, has been the subject of significant local attention and concern.

The Monmouth MS stated the environmental rules the Welsh Government are required to follow are seemingly not keeping pace with the scale of solar applications, with it making “no sense” to sacrifice one set of environmental principles, in the pursuit of another.

Mr Fox asked the Cabinet Secretary for assurances that protection for valuable sites will not fall through the cracks, and if the Welsh Government had raised the wider issue of the impact that transitioning to renewable energy could have on rural land.

Local MS for Monmouth, Peter Fox, has said:

“We all accept the need to transition to renewable energy, but this cannot come at any cost, especially with the careless disposal of prime land.

“The Welsh Government have a key role to play in the proposed solar farm in my constituency, and I hope they will consider all of the factors before providing their advice.

“It makes no sense to me that we should be sacrificing one set of environmental principles in the pursuit of another, and I think there needs to be a careful review of how projects and applications such as this are managed.

“I will continue to monitor the specific issue of the solar farm closely, and will always ensure my resident’s concerns are represented."