Sign up to FREE email alerts from NorthWalesLive - Anglesey News Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Fears have been raised over the impact of planned 60 metre barges as part of a tidal project off the west coast of Anglesey.

Menter Mon is developing the £35m Morlais tidal scheme off Holy Island/Ynys Gybi - with international firms lined up to use the infrastructure to test new tidal technologies.

Anglesey resident Mark Llewellyn, who lives on the coast of Holy Island, said he was initially supportive of the project.

But this was when he believed the schemes would all be underwater and his opinion has changed after being told part of the project will involve barges off the coast, near South Stack.

(Image: Menter Mon)

He says he has been told it will involve a flotilla of up to 50 barges, with each of them 60 metres long and two metres high.

Mr Llewellyn says they would be 2000 metres off the west coast but claims not many people are aware that the project will include barges above the water level.

Mentor Mon said consultation and engagement are key parts of the process and invited feedback with public information days.

(Image: Menter Mon)

Gerallt Llewelyn Jones, director with Morlais, accepted the plans had changed as they have adapted to the requirements of the energy companies.

Mark Llewellyn said: "I was spoken to about this two years ago as they wanted to bring electricity on to the shore and under my land.

"I was supportive at the time as I back renewables and economic development but back then I was told the only visible presence would be a couple of buoys as these would be submarine projects.

"I thought it would be like the Minesto tidal project, which looks extremely attractive as it is submarine and the generators are tethered to the seabed."

He says he was visited again recently and given a very different message about the potential visual impact.

He said: "It had changed completely, I was told the submarine technology was proving too expensive.

(Image: Richard Williams)

"Now they are pushing through a model where the submarine structures are tethered to pontoons on the surface.

"It now appears that they are proposing a flotilla of up to 50 barges floating 2000m off the shoreline of South Stack and around to Trearddur Bay. "

Gerallt Llewelyn Jones, from Morlais, said the cost of the submarine scheme and lack of Government subsidies for tidal had seen developers changes their requirements in a bid to reduce costs.

Generation costs for projects tethered to floating barges are around half those of fully submerged schemes, which can be in excess of £300 per MWh.

He said: "The situation has changed, it is certainly not that we have tried to mislead anyone, which is why we have continued to engage with Mr Llywellyn, stakeholders and the wider community. The current images are a worst case scenario and these are subject to change.

"We would encourage as many people as possible to engage with us, we want people's feedback, good and bad, we are not hiding."

He added: "A key part of our aim with Morlais is to benefit the local community, economy and environment through the generation of clean, low carbon electricity.

"It is an opportunity to ensure Anglesey leads the way in this emerging sector as well as bringing much needed potential employment and supply chain opportunities to the area.

"The first stage of the project aims to secure consent for the development of the Morlais zone. Once our application is submitted, it will be independently examined, with a subsequent decision by Welsh Ministers.

"Consultation and engagement is a key part of this process and we are keen to invite feedback so that we can address any concerns or issues early on.

"We held a public information day in Holyhead back in March where we provided information on all types of under water and floating devices that could be included as part of the project.

"We have another consultation event in Holyhead on Monday and I would encourage anyone who has an interest in the project to come along.

"The team will be available to answer questions and we will also have visualisations of some of the devices which could be deployed as part of the Morlais project.

"Menter Môn is well-respected and has a long history of developing community projects which have brought benefits to Anglesey and the wider north west Wales area.

"The vision for Morlais is very much in line with this with local prosperity and progress at its heart."

The next consultation takes place at Holyhead town hall between 12.30pm and 8pm on Monday, June 17.