Tirgwynt Wind Farm

Tirgwynt Wind Farm is located in Powys, Wales and the site lies within an area known as Strategic Search Area B. These are areas that were designated in Technical Advice Note (TAN) 8: Planning for Renewable Energy, as being most suitable for large-scale wind farm development by the Welsh Government. The project was consented in March 2012. Belltown Power managed the construction, and the site was commissioned ahead of schedule and under budget in November 2016.

The Tirgwynt landowners were integral in the development of the project and continue to farm the land around the development. They jointly funded the development of this project and continue be actively involved in its operation.

Belltown is proud of the contribution the wind farm makes to the local area through its commitments to the local community across community funding, education and the local environment. 

Community commitments

As part of its commitment to the community, Tirgwynt Wind Farm engaged with the local community in Carno to determine the best use of the community benefit funds it was proposing for the community. As Carno community already received annual benefits associated with other surrounding, operational, projects it was decided that an additional annual payment wouldn’t be the most impactful use of funds.

Following extensive community engagement and consideration of the wishes of the local Carno community, we agreed to capitalise the Carno Community Benefit Fund into a single upfront payment, which enabled them to fund a new school building for the Ysgol Carno school and save this local primary school from closure.

The wind farm also awards an annual grant to the host community Dwyriw and the other communities along the turbine delivery route. These funds are managed by: The Dwyriw Community Trust Fund and The Tirgwynt Community Fund.

Education commitments

The Tirgwynt Wind Farm forms a part of The Belltown Education Programme. The programme provides an annual visit and renewables workshop for the children from Carno Primary School. The sessions are designed to help children familiarise themselves with the technology and understand the impacts of climate change. Through this programme we aim to inspire a future generation of children that are passionate about renewables and careers in engineering.

Belltown undertakes similar workshops and site visits for its projects in development, such as Newlands Hill, which has been providing workshops and site visits to 8 local schools since 2022. 

Environmental commitments

Belltown has implemented a comprehensive and robust habitat management and enhancement plan (HMEP) for the project.

Through its HMEP, the project is ensuring the existing upland habitats are being maintained, restored, and enhanced through the implementation of an extensive habitat management plan. Enhancements include:

• Restoration / enhancement of onsite blanket bog and other peat habitats;
• Reduced stocking and grazing over existing blanked bog throughout the lifetime of the wind farm;
• Specific habitat management works to maintain and enhance the existing breeding curlew population, which are one of the UK’s most endangered birds;
• Enhancement of great crested newt breeding pond at Pont Pren Dano; and
• Provision/enhancement of existing linear features within and/or adjacent to the site in order to encourage bats away from the turbines.

The commitments are conditioned to the planning consent and will be adhered to for the lifetime of the wind farm