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Reference

Taff Ely Residents Survey

RBA, December 1997

Turbines on a hillside at the Taff Ely wind farm

More than three in five local people support Taff Ely wind farm in Wales, a pattern of support which is repeated in opinion polls carried out among people living near to a wind farm. Furthermore, the 20 turbine project can be seen by more than 70% of the people questioned, yet more thought it made the scenery more interesting than spoilt the scenery. This is contrary to the message given out by the small but vocal anti wind farm lobby who cite the visual impact of a wind farm as a main source of public concern and objection.

The Survey

Robertson Bell Associates (RBA) was commissioned by National Wind Power Limited to conduct an independent, objective and dispassionate survey among the residents living near to Taff Ely Win Farm, Mid Glamorgan. The key objective of the research was to assess opinions of local residents towards the Taff Ely Wind Farm.

In all, between 6-11 December 1997, 336 interviews were carried out among people living within a two mile radius of the Taff Ely Wind Farm. These included residents from the towns and villages of Gilfach Goch, Tonyrefail and Brynna.

All fieldwork and data processing was carried out by RBA.

Summary of main findings

These results are based upon 336 face-to-face interviews, carried out in homes within a two-mile radius of Taff Ely wind farm. Seven in ten respondents (70%) say they are able to see the wind farm from their homes.

  1. More than three in five (63%) say they support the Taff Ely wind farm, including 28% who say they strongly support it. Only 4% say they oppose the wind farm. The remainder (32%) say 'no opinion either way'.
  2. Support for the principle of wind farm development in general is also evident, in that two in three (65%) say they support the development of wind power schemes in Great Britain, including 29% who say they strongly support it. The most common benefits spontaneously identified are that 'wind power is clean' (41% say this) and 'good for the environment' (mentioned by 34%).
  3. Of the 76% of residents who are able to spontaneously mention an alternative source of energy to gas, coal and oil, nine in ten (89%) say more electricity should be generated by renewable sources of energy (10% say 'don't know').
  4. More than three in four (78%) are able to mention at least one way in which the Taff Ely wind farm has benefited the local area, with only 8% saying there are no benefits.
  5. Seven in ten residents (71%) identify no drawbacks with the wind farm, (49% say Taff Ely wind farm has had no negative effects on the local are and a further 22% say 'don't know'). Of those who identified drawbacks, the most commonly mentioned is the visual impact of the wind farm, spontaneously mentioned by 18%. Note that seven in ten (70%) of all residents say they can see the wind farm from their home. Other than visual impact, no further drawbacks are monitored by more than 4% of respondents.
  6. On being asked how they think the wind farm fits into the countryside, more residents say 'it makes the scenery more interesting' (29%) than say 'it spoils the scenery' (17%). Half (51%) describe it as 'all right'. Of the turbines themselves, more describe then as 'graceful' (20%) than describe them as 'ugly' (14%) with most (63%) saying they are 'all right'.
  7. Even when residents are prompted with different ways in which the Taff Ely wind farm may affect the local area, many people perceive the wind farm as having had no effect. In regards to house prices, more than three in four (78%) say the wind farm has had no effect, with a further 15% saying 'don't know'. As many residents say house prices have increased a little because of the wind farm (3%) as say they have decreased a little (both 3%). Similarly, as many say they have increased a lot as say decreased a lot (1%).
  8. In terms of the number of people visiting the area, a majority (68%) say the wind farm has had no effect. Many more say visitor numbers have increased, however, than say they have decreased (15% and 1% respectively).
  9. Four in five (79%) say they are very or fairly concerned about environmental issues, with only 6% saying they are not at all concerned and 16% saying they are not very concerned.
  10. In terms of environmental issues on a wider scale, local people hold a number of concerns. In all, 87% are able to mention at least one environmental issue that concerns them. The main environmental concerns of local residents are global warming/greenhouse effect (61%), air pollution (also 61%), litter/recycling (50%), pollution of seas/beaches (also 50%), pollution of rivers/streams (49%) and traffic congestion (again 49%). Only 7% say no environmental issues concern them.