Farmers in court in ‘David v Goliath’ battle

The owners of five farms have appeared in court accused of refusing to provide access to surveyors in a “David versus Goliath” battle over a controversial new pylon route.

Green GEN Cymru wants to raise miles of pylons through rural Wales to tackle the energy, climate and cost-of-living crisis.

Owners of three farms, all from Carmarthenshire, said at Llanelli Magistrates Court on Monday they would now sign licences to grant access.

The energy company’s application for two further warrants has been adjourned to 22 April.

Caerfyrddin MP Ann Davies and Members of the Senedd (MS) Adam Price and Cefin Campbell were among about 80 campaigners outside Llanelli Magistrates’ Court in support of the landowners.

The farmers, from near Llandovery and Llanarthney, own land in the path of a proposed 56-mile power line between a new windfarm at Nant Mithil in Powys and planned substation at Llandyfaelog, near Carmarthen.

That Tywi-Usk line is one of three major routes of pylons in Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, being proposed by Green GEN Cymru.

Protesters have argued for the lines to be installed underground to protect the natural beauty of the areas.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith – the Welsh language Society – also criticised an initial decision not to allow the hearing to be conducted in Welsh.

Evidence can be given in Welsh in court but a request must be made to the judge for documentation or court proceedings to be held in Welsh.

District judge Mark Layton recommended that his colleague Gwyn Jones conducted the hearing in Welsh via videolink and will do so again later this month.

Mr Price, Plaid Cymru MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, said after the hearing: “It felt like David and Goliath today. A corporate giant with very large and, no doubt, expensive team of lawyers faced with objectors that were farming families, many of them are elderly and have never been in this position before.”

According to Owen Jones, external affairs manager for Green GEN Cymru, putting cables underground for the whole pylon route was “not a possibility”.

Green GEN Cymru is urging people to give “specific feedback” on where undergrounding is needed, but Mr Jones said evidence showed it was “at least five times more expensive” for the whole route to be placed underground.

“You are talking hundreds of millions [of pounds] in additional costs and that is unviable,” he added.

“We can’t underground everything, but we are always asking for feedback.”