A PLAID Cymru activist has hit out at the Welsh Government after plans for a wind turbine in his village were rejected.

Dr Carl Clowes, who recently published his autobiography was the chairman of the Antur Aelhaearn community group which wanted to erect a 67m wind turbine, bigger than the leaning Tower of Pisa, in Llanaelhaearn. But the plan was rejected after some locals said it would spoil the landscape.

Dr Clowes spoke about the issue at an event in Palas Print in Caernarfon last week.

He said: “When a solitary community turbine is refused planning permission by Gwynedd Council and the Planning Inspectorate in Llanaelhaearn, one of the most deprived areas in the country because of its limited impact on the view from Tre’r Ceiri, serious questions have to be asked about the kind of communities we want to see.

“This decision led directly to a loss of 20 jobs in Bro’r Eifl and £3m of investment for a predominantly Welsh-speaking area and that in spite of the business plan having been approved by Bangor University and support from every representative body based in the area.”

Previously, the Welsh Government had published guidance supporting this kind of development.

In 2013, in a circular from the Minister Carl Sargeant, said: “In Energy Wales, the Welsh Government has set in place an ambitious programme a key priority is making sure that communities benefit from energy infrastructure developments this objective underpins support for local communities to develop renewable energy and to reinvest the benefits locally.”

Dr Clowes added: “In assessing planning applications for renewable energy projects, the economic and job creation benefits associated with any development should be fully factored into the decision making process.

"With the advent of the Well Being of Future Generations Act 2015 and its emphasis on community viability, the inconsistencies between policy and the reality in practice is both worrying and unacceptable.

“It is vital that the current situation is addressed as a mater of urgency so that Welsh communities are no longer undermined in their developmental efforts.”