A 150 METRE tall wind turbine will be allowed on the Gwent Levels after a planning inspector overruled a council’s refusal to grant planning permission.

Clean Earth Energy Ltd was told in December last year an application it made in 2023 for the turbine at North Court Farm had been refused as it was planned to be constructed on the Redwick and Llandevenny Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), near Caldicot, that forms part of the levels.

The area is also recognised as a landscape of outstanding historic interest and Monmouthshire County Council said Welsh planning policy has a presumption against development on sites of special scientific interest that aren’t necessary for their management.

As a result it refused the application having seemingly failed the first stage of the Welsh Government’s “step-wise” approach to applying the 2016 Welsh environment act intended to ensure all reasonable steps to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity are followed,

But independent inspector Paul Selby, who considered the appeal on behalf of Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, said he had given “significant weight” to the Welsh Government’s policy on supporting renewable energy, and its target for 70 per cent of consumed electricity to be generated by renewables by 2030.

Mr Selby said that meant the turbine, which will be in operation for 35 years and produce enough energy every year to power 2,412 homes, could be approved and also noted it is expected to generate at least 32 times the energy used in its manufacture and installation.

He also said consideration of the other steps under the environment act meant it could be given permission as the applicants had provided information which showed how the impact on the environment, including bats, would be managed and the habitat management plan put forward shows the site can be managed to enhance wildlife and increase biodiversity.

The inspector also noted trees and hedgerows reduce the prominence of modern elements of the landscape including the A4810 road and the Gwent Euro Park industrial estate while there are also some other turbines and electricity pylons in the area.

Mr Selby said: “I am persuaded that this case represents a wholly exceptional circumstance which justifies the siting of the wind turbine within the boundary of this SSSI.”

A number of conditions are attached to the permission.