Sir,

I refer to a letter published in the Tenby Observer last Friday, August 21, with the title ‘Monster Turbine’. Your correspondent is mistaken on a key aspect of his/her protest: the site for the turbine is actually over 700 metres from the church in the centre of East Williamston, not 400 metres as is claimed.

Your correspondent also refers to ‘the potential to blight lives not just in East Williamston’. Whilst I will agree that some people do not like wind turbines, it is a very subjective point of view and in no way merits the use of the word blight. There are many, like me, who find them to be statuesque and elegant, almost balletic. In terms of the visual impact I would like readers to know that a thorough landscape and visual impact assessment has been undertaken, with photomontages constructed to show what the turbine will look like from locations within the village and further afield. The conclusion of this report states:

The assessment demonstrates that the simple form of the turbine proposed enables it to remain in balance with the scale and form of the surrounding landscape. It would rarely be dominant in a view and would often be seen in association with other existing turbines in the area of a similar scale.

Finally, your correspondent is wrong to say that there will be no benefit to the community. My organisation, Community Energy in Pembrokeshire, is a community interest company, whose directors receive no pay. Current cashflow forecasts predict that this scheme will contribute more than £2 million towards community funds to support projects which help the environment.

Comprehensive policy documents for this community fund, together with maps of the proposed site and the visual impact assessment are all to be found on the Pembrokeshire County Council website using the reference number 15/0376/PA. Your correspondent actually gave this reference, albeit printed incorrectly, but evidently did not view the details themselves. I urge readers to take a closer look at what we are actually planning.

Neil Sefton,

Director,

Community Energy in Pembrokeshire, Community Interest Company,

(Reg. Off.) The Old School,

Station Road,

Narberth.