Gwent Wildlife Trust has released a series of detailed maps and illustrations ahead of the landmark Craig y Perthi solar development hearing this week, to indicate the extent of massive solar schemes looming over the Gwent Levels Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and the potential cumulative impacts of these developments. 

SSSIs are nationally protected sites for nature and only cover around 12% of Wales.

The maps indicate that if all the solar development proposals currently on the table were built, up to 19% of the total area of the Gwent Levels SSSIs could be within development boundaries (approx. 1,038 hectares). This is equivalent to more than 1,000 international size rugby pitches. For one of the affected SSSIs, as much as 43% of its total area could fall within development boundaries, if all were built.

Natalie Buttriss, Chief Executive said, “Of course we are pro-renewable energy, but the impact of all these destructive dominoes falling could be catastrophic for the complex wetland ecosystem of the Gwent Levels. Developers talk of mitigation at the planning stage, but we are very clear: Mitigation does not work on the Gwent Levels. Our position on this is reinforced by the Welsh Government’s post-construction monitoring report on the Gwent Levels, published last month.”

In this report, 3 years after the Llanwern Solar Farm began operating, a series of surveys show mitigation measures to protect wildlife have failed:

• Lapwing numbers declining: the new “Lapwing Mitigation Area” had not attracted a single lapwing pair 3 years after construction. In the retained areas, breeding pairs declined from eight before construction to two after, with only one nest found on-site and no successful breeding confirmed in 2023.
• Key bee species numbers down: there have been significant declines in Shrill Carder Bee and Brown-banded Carder Bee populations within the solar array areas. Herbicide treatments on thistle plants (a favoured nectar source for the bees) in retained grassland areas and poor establishment of new wildflower planting areas are cited as possible causes.
• Bat activity declining: the level of bat activity (recorded as number of passes) on site has greatly declined, with only a single installed bat box occupied in 2023
• Common Crane gone: prior to construction (2020-21), a pair of Common Cranes were in the area. They have not been seen since.

Natalie Buttriss pointed out that, “The race to tackle the climate emergency should never come at the expense of the nature emergency; the two are so closely intertwined and interdependent. The Gwent Levels, if appropriately managed, could be an enormous carbon sink, as well as providing climate change adaptation through its potential flood storage capacity. Ironically, putting hundreds of thousands of glass panels on it would actually damage its climate change mitigation and adaptation roles, thus exacerbating climate change as it affects Wales and the world.”

Gwent Wildlife Trust is a registered charity supported by a growing network of thousands of people in diverse communities, collaborating for nature’s recovery at a local level. Together, we’re tackling the biodiversity crisis by restoring joined-up, nature-rich spaces of all sizes, across all areas of Gwent. Established in 1963, we share decades of experience, learning and evidence to protect wild places and wildlife with and for the people of Gwent.

Gwent Wildlife Trust has been campaigning for decades to Save the Gwent Levels | Gwent Wildlife Trust. Last year, c6,000 people signed our petition to ‘Halt Significant Developments on the Gwent Levels SSSI’. The campaign is supported by leading naturalists and authors such as Iolo Williams, Gillian Burke, Lizzie Daly, Mary Colwell and Julian Hoffman.

The Gwent Levels has been declared, “an ancient landscape with a special cultural significance” which is “important for biodiversity, recreation, flood alleviation, carbon storage and food production” by the Welsh Government.