Offshore wind farm details released

Impressions of the wind farm are on display

Plans of how one of the UK's biggest offshore wind farms off the coast of south Wales will look, have been put on display for the first time.

Visualisations of the proposals for the 30 turbine site at Scarweather Sands in Porthcawl are being shown as part of a public consultation into the project.

We understand people have concerns and want to know more about the project

Eleri Wyn Jones, United Utilities

United Utilities Green Energy are behind the £100m scheme off the holiday resort, which would generate enough power for 86,000 homes.

However, residents have expressed fears that the wind farm would affect tourism to the area.

Eleri Wyn Jones, project manager for the scheme, said: "We understand people have concerns and want to know more about the project.

"We have arranged this series of exhibitions throughout the area as we want to make the information as accessible as possible to all members of the local community."

The company said that they welcomed public opinion about the project.

Thirty turbines could be placed off Porthcawl

"We are pleased to be able to display visualisations of how the wind farm will look and offer the local community the opportunity to comment on the project as part of our on-going public consultation," said Ms Wyn Jones.

"We are currently undertaking noise impact assessment surveys.

"We would like to reassure people the location, together with new developments in turbine design, mean it is unlikely there will be any noise impact implications.

"We want to keep local people fully informed and anyone who is interested in the scheme is welcome to come along and discuss it with us," she added.

It has been estimated that 4m tonnes of carbon dioxide emission will be saved over the wind farms 20 year life.

Liberal Democrat AM, Peter Black, said he has received concerns from people living near the site.

"There is a petition with more than 7,000 signatures opposing this scheme," he said.

The site, which is to the west of Porthcawl, is approximately four miles from the nearest household.

"People have a lot of concerns about the impact of this proposal," he added.

The site, is one of 18 around the UK coastline, which has been made available by the Crown Estate as a way of helping the government achieve its target of providing 10% of the UK's energy from renewable sources by 2010.

A public exhibition on the proposals will be held at Porthcawl Pavilion 18 and 19 October and at Rest Bay car park from 23 to 25 October