The bigger picture - meeting tonight 7:30

*Meeting 7:30 tonight, Manmoel Village Hall* - to see aerial drone footage of how renewable installations have changed the local landscape and discuss concerns about how they have been dealt with by the planning department. Despite over 1,100 signatures on this petition, the solar park near Pen-y-fan Pond has been installed and replanting won't start until the Autumn (according to CCBC it was too wet this season). David Rowlands AM for South East Wales is familiar with the area as he grew up in Argoed. He was shocked at what has been done in the area. He believes that the current planning legislation in Wales does not afford enough, if any, protection to communities from renewable developments. David arranged for a drone to record an aerial view of the area which hopefully will visually illustrate the extent of what has taken place. He would like to show the aerial footage taken by the drone to people who have an interest and give them the opportunity to share their opinions and concerns with him regarding the local renewable developments and illegal tree felling. All are welcome to attend the meeting this evening and for the sake of the local communities, the landscape and the wildlife it would be great if many people could attend to share their concerns. Unless these concerns get to the Welsh Assembly, nothing will change. The application for the generators which will burn half a million litres of diesel a year in Croespenmaen was approved and the planning department have said that further applications could be made. Here's what they said about them: “This is a relatively new type of development, and there are no planning policies that directly relate to it. We would consider the local impacts of the scheme, much the same as any other development, but we would not object to the use of diesel. I am aware of the current concerns about diesel, and about air quality, but there are no firm planning policies prohibiting development based upon its use. You may wish to take the matter up with Welsh Government.” The diesel generators are needed to 'balance' the intermittency of the supply from renewables. It's clear that neither CCBC nor the Welsh Assembly is currently looking at the bigger picture when it comes to renewable energy and the required balancing and this must change. If you're able to make it, it would be great to see you there. If you can't come but have comments to make, please add them to the comments section here. thanks