Share

Protected Gwent Levels under threat from solar power station takeover

Neil Aldridge

Why we are saying NO to mega power plans for the Gwent Levels SSSI

Right now, we know of plans for solar power installations covering over 1,200 acres of the Gwent Levels Landscape: (that’s 500 rugby pitches or around a tenth of the whole area). They are on and impacting across our most important wildlife sites, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) like Gwent Wildlife Trust’s Magor Marsh Nature Reserve.

Gwent Wildlife Trust oppose all development proposals which would damage nationally protected SSSIs.

We fully recognise that climate change is the biggest threat to biodiversity globally, and that concerted action at all levels and in all policy areas, including renewable energy generation, is needed. But climate change mitigation through renewable energy generation should not come at the expense of biodiversity, (a fact recognised by the Senedd’s declaration of a conjoined Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.)

In short, you can’t destroy the environment to save the environment.

How do we know these solar power stations will adversely impact the SSSI?

The wildlife interest of the SSSI is wholly dependent on very high water quality. The post-construction monitoring report for the Llanwern solar farm on the Levels shows a massive spike in damaging pollutants arising from the construction, with silt produced over 14 times higher than pre-construction levels. But developers mitigate, don’t they? No breeding lapwings used the “Lapwing Mitigation (really compensation) Area” created for Llanwern. Numbers of breeding lapwings fell from eight pairs before to two pairs post-construction, with only one nest found on site. A breeding pair of cranes were completely lost from the site.

What you can do

The situation is now urgent; we are faced with the immediate likelihood that at least another 193 hectares of SSSI will be lost via the Rush Wall and Wentlooge solar applications. At least 52 hectares are in the consent pipeline for Magor Solar Farm.

Our Gwent Levels campaign page will keep you updated on our campaign and any action you can take.

Meanwhile, find out more about the incredible Gwent Levels landscape on the Living Levels partnership website here: www.livinglevels.org.uk/

Related news