The role of Forestry Commission Wales
Clocaenog Forest Forestry Commission Wales is acting on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that the development of wind farms on the woodland estate is legal, safe and practical.
Forestry Commission Wales has been working with renewable resources since its foundation over 90 years ago.
Now, as Wales and the rest of the world face the effects of climate change, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has entrusted Forestry Commission Wales to explore new types of renewable resources which will enhance existing energy supplies.
Welsh Assembly Government Ministers directed Forestry Commission Wales to identify suitable companies to be awarded options to develop wind farms on the land managed on behalf of WAG. This was done to enable the WAG to meet its Renewable Energy targets in Strategic Search Areas (SSAs) selected under Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN8).
The National Forest Estate Wind Farm Programme (NFEWFP) was established to achieve this in December 2005.
The Programme:
• Facilitates clear and consistent engagement and communication with internal and external stakeholders to enable them to understand
FCW’s role in relation to wind farm development.
• Makes sure that FCW meets its statutory responsibilities as manager of public land with respect to wind farm development.
• And although we have no influence over or responsibility for the outcome of the planning process, the Team works with developers to make sure that planning applications are acceptable to FCW and are in keeping with the Commission’s responsibilities and other relevant public policy in their planning applications.
In 2008, Option Agreements were signed with selected developers including RWE npower renewables (RWE NRL). In Clocaenog Forest, the agreement gives RWE NRL the rights to apply for planning permission to develop wind farms within SSA A and an option to enter into a 25 year lease, should consent be received and a wind farm built.
A key part of the tender run by the Wind Farm Programme underlined that wind farm developments on land managed by FCW are intended to be an integrated part of the forest. That is, wind turbines within woodland rather than wind farms that replace woodland.
FCW will be working closely with RWE NRL to minimise any changes in land use from that which is indicated in the long-term Forest Design Plans (FDPs) for the Clocaenog Forest. This will be achieved by, for example, placing turbines in appropriate open space; areas recently clear felled or locating turbines into crops by felling as few trees as possible.
For information about Forestry Commission Wales, visit the website:
To find out more about FCW’s work with the renewable energy sector, visit the following FCW webpage.
