€100m Doonbeg windfarm rejected

Plans to develop a ­controversial €100m windfarm near Doonbeg have been turned down by An Bord Pleanála, a decision that follows on from an oral hearing in May.

 

The board’s refusal of Clare Coastal Wind Power Limited’s appeal is a major talking point in West Clare this week, as the issue divided the community, with landowners and some businesses on opposite sides to affected residents, who were vehemently opposed for a variety of reasons.

It is a serious setback for Clare Coastal Wind Power, as the proposed 40 wind turbine electricity-generating farm, 1.5 kilometres from Doonbeg, had been held up as a major opportunity for the area.

The planning appeals board ruled that, having regard to the scale of the proposed development near the seven-turbine Monmore windfarm and the permitted six turbine Tullabrack windfarm, the Doonbeg development would be contrary to the provisions of the Clare Wind Energy Strategy.

The decision to refuse this development will be closely studied by other windfarm developers who are planning similar projects in other parts of the county.

The application to proceed with a strategic infrastructure development was lodged with the board on October 24, 2011 and was amended by the ­company in a revised public notice submitted on March 19 last.
Clare Coastal Wind Power had sought a 10-year planning permission for 40 electricity generating wind turbines with a hub height of up to 85m and a rotor diameter of up to 82m, giving an overall height of up to 126m.

The development included hardstandings, a 110 kilovolts substation containing two control buildings, an electrical compound and a waste water holding tank, a new free span concrete bridge over the Doonbeg River, a permanent meteorological mast, a viewing tower installed beneath one turbine and associated site works, in the townlands of Carrowmore South, Einagh, Monmore North, Doonbeg, Mountrivers, Shragh and Dromellihy.

In addition to reimbursing fees totalling €23,544 to the company, the board also made a contribution towards the substantial costs incurred by the local authority and local objectors.

It granted Clare County Council €3,978 and €1,500 apiece to Peter and Patricia Dillon, George and Anne Whelan, Kathy and David Gorman and Doonbeg Golf Club Limited.

In his report, senior ­planning inspector, Stephen Kay, who chaired the recent oral hearing in the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, outlined the Clare Wind Energy Strategy identified the creation of 550 megawatts of electricity by 2020, with 120 megawatts generated by this development.

“When account is taken of Monmore and Tullabrack, the overall output within this one small area of ‘acceptable in principle’ lands would account for almost all the target for the whole of this designation.

“I would therefore agree with the observers and the planning authority that the proposed development would appear to be contrary to an equitable spatial distribution of development throughout the county and would also be contrary to an overall plan led approach to development,” he said.

He stated during the oral hearing it was established that the employment generated during the construction phase would be between 45 and 50 and not 250 as suggested by a socio-economic consultant on behalf of the developer.

Describing the employment levels as set out in the ­company’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as “optimistic”, he stated the level of permanent employment at 12 to 14 would not be all year round.

This is the second major project in Doonbeg to have gone to An Bord Pleanála but the matter was decided in the High Court.

About 10 years ago, a microscopic snail,  the Vertigo Augustior, almost unhinged the  development of Doonbeg Golf Club, which has since become an important tourism attraction and employer.

While mitigation measures were successfully put in place to deal with fears about the future of this protected snail, the risk to the freshwater pear mussels in the Doonbeg River was one of the three main reasons why this windfarm was turned down in the first instance.