Peatlands Under Threat Despite Welsh Government Promises

Press Release 13th June 2025

Peatlands Under Threat Despite Welsh Government Promises

CPRW, the Welsh Countryside Charity, reveals new findings in the latest edition of its members’ magazine, Hiraeth, about serious concerns for the future of Wales’ peatlands. CPRW warns approval of wind farm developments on peatland threatens Welsh Government climate and biodiversity targets.

It is evident severe ecological damage has occurred at the existing wind farm sites. Dr Jonathan Dean, CPRW Trustee, explains: to quote directly from internal government briefing documents obtained under Freedom of Information legislation

“At Pen y Cymoedd, South Wales, the excavated peat had been destroyed and degraded; stone was poured into trackways until it settled, interrupting the flow of water and degrading the habitat either side of it; borrow pits were left unrestored”.

“At Clocaenog, soil from a turbine base had been dumped on a peatland habitat, and other areas of peat soils had been excavated and left to oxidise, erode and degrade. Further damage to peatland habitats will occur, and further financial resource will be needed to rectify the damage.”

The damage is set to continue.  Garn Fach wind farm near Newtown was approved in October 2024 even though it was located on protected peatland. This led to the charity’s investigation. CPRW discovered the wind farm was approved by Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Evans MS despite the policy to not develop on peatland, according to internal government documents. The documents reveal the wind farm was approved on the basis of “wholly exceptional circumstances” – contributing just 1% towards the Welsh Government’s net zero renewable energy targets! As Dr Jonathan Dean notes, a marginal gain at a potentially irreversible ecological cost.

CPRW has uncovered conflicting briefings to ministers within departments: one allowing peatlands to be destroyed by the wind farm development, the other working to restore degraded peatland. A 2025 briefing to the Deputy First Minister noted that if the current pipeline of wind farm projects proceeds, the damage would “negate years of restoration activity.”

Jonty Colchester, CPRW Chairman, warned of the precedent being set: “It is evident that no peatland is safe from renewable energy development in light of recent planning decisions. As such, our climate and biodiversity strategies are significantly at risk. Our peatland is the most important natural carbon sink, which is being destroyed – how can the government claim to lead the way on net zero on one hand and destroy it on the other?”

CPRW urgently urges the Welsh Government to revisit its policy approach and to ensure peat areas are excluded when developing renewable energy developments. CPRW warns millions of pounds which has been spent on peatland restoration will be wasted if the Welsh Government doesn’t act now.

Dr Jonathan Dean, CPRW trustee, adds: “There should be no conflict between the need to conserve and restore peatlands and the development of renewable energy. The issue is developers are picking the wrong places — and government is letting them.”

You can read the full article in the Summer Edition of Hiraeth Magazine, CPRW’s members’ publication. The article is called Peatlands – Will They Really Be Protected?, written by Dr Jonathan Dean.