LUC is undertaking the EIA for Twyn Hywel Energy Park, located north-west of Caerphilly, South Wales on behalf of Bute Energy. This proposed site of 14 wind turbines is a Development of National Significance (DNS) for which LUC submitted the Scoping Report to Planning Inspectorate Wales (now Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW)) in August 2021. Consultation on a full draft version of the EIA took place from November 2022 and the final submission to PEDW is expected in May 2023.

LUC is providing EIA project management, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment and GIS support for the Site. It is largely located within a Pre-Assessed Area (PAA) for wind energy development as designated in Future Wales: The National Plan 2040.

LUC has worked extensively alongside Bute Energy on the sensitive design of the wind farm, taking account of the surrounding settlements, isolated dwellings, onsite constraints and wider considerations such as views from Caerphilly Common and Castle.

Through the scoping process with PEDW, LUC has successfully scoped out an assessment of socio-economic effects, including tourism, and also an assessment of land use effects. Community benefits and other socio-economic benefits will instead be reported through a standalone report, and aspects of land use associated with the areas of Common Land will be considered through the separate Common Land Consent process.

LUC has been engaged with statutory and non-statutory consultation throughout the project, involving both members of the public and specialist consultees. This includes attendance at exhibitions, creation of information boards and visualisation content, alongside input into the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) Report.

To secure added recreational value for the Energy Park, LUC is producing a Recreation Plan that will form part of the EIA. Utilising LUC’s design expertise, this document will inform future decisions on the implementation and management of recreation in the area.