Our countryside defines Sir Gaerfyrddin. From family-run farms to scenic valleys, Carmarthenshire’s land supports high-quality local food production and forms the backbone of our rural economy. However, proposed large-scale energy infrastructure projects across our region continue to raise significant concerns for agricultural communities and residents.
Recent proposals to modify transmission pylon heights, reducing them from 27 metres to 22 metres, do not fully address the visual and environmental concerns raised by local residents. Overhead infrastructure of this scale continues to have a substantial visual impact on rural landscapes. Furthermore, cumulative proposals to use prime agricultural land for solar installations present serious challenges for long-term food security and local farming livelihoods.
As on of your Members of the Senedd, I am calling for a robust, coordinated approach to energy infrastructure planning, one that prioritises brownfield development, minimises impacts on high-grade farmland, and genuinely engages local communities from the outset. I will continue to scrutinise Welsh Government Ministers in Plenary and Committee sessions to ensure planning frameworks properly safeguard our rural heritage and agricultural economy.
Have Your Say
Are you a constituent in Carmarthenshire affected by local infrastructure or energy proposals?
Please share your views or specific concerns directly with my parliamentary office so I can represent your voice in the Senedd:
Email: gareth.beer-as@senedd.cymru
Featured Image: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
