AN Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for the redesign and construction of a 16-turbine windfarm in South Galway, less than two miles from the site of the 2003 Derrybrien landslide.
The proposed location for the windfarm was within the boundaries of the Slieve Aughty Mountains Special Protection Area and within two miles of Derrybrien.
An Bord Pleanala’s inspector stated in her report that the applicant, Keelderry Wind Farm Limited, “has not offered a reasonable guarantee that a landslide will not occur”.
In September 2009, Keelderry Wind Farm Limited applied to Galway County Council for the redesign and construction of the windfarm comprising 16 wind turbines not exceeding 135m height, an 85m high permanent meteorological mast, a substation and associated equipment. After further information was requested and received, the local authority granted permission for the project in May this year.
Bird Watch Ireland appealed this decision saying it had “significant concerns relating to wind energy developments on hen harrier Special Protection Areas that do not have adequate mitigation in place, were consented prior to site designation and without full assessment of impacts such as through appropriate assessment, have prior consent and are being redesigned due to technology advancement yet may have still have significant impact”.
The organisation claimed the Keelderry Wind Energy proposal as approved by the council fell into the third category.
“Birdwatch Ireland is of the view that, while the scaling down of the original and consented proposal is a welcome development and may reduce potential impacts of the approved wind energy development which has existing consent, this should not be the basis on which to approve a potentially damaging proposal,” its appeal to An Bord Pleanála stated.
This week, the board refused permission for the redesign and construction of the windfarm.
The board’s direction stated, “The proposed development would be located in an exposed upland area of blanket bog within the Slieve Aughty Mountains Special Protection Area, in close proximity to several other Natura 2000 sites and where there has been a history of bog slides in the general area. On the basis of the submissions made in connection with the planning application and the appeal, the board is not satisfied that the proposed development would not prejudice the stability of the peatland on the site of the proposed windfarm or adversely affect the quality and conservation status of other Natura 2000 sites in the wider area. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.
An accompanying inspector’s report stated that despite the information provided by the applicant, she was “not satisfied that the proposed revised layout for the turbines would significantly reduce the landslide risk in the area, having regard to the close proximity of the site to the Derrybrien windfarm which is less than 3km to the east and the applicant has not offered a reasonable guarantee that a landslide will not occur”.
The direction to overturn the permission was also based on the presence of the hen harrier.
“The board is not satisfied that the cumulative effect of the proposed development together with other existing windfarms in the area would not have a significant adverse impact on the hen harrier population in this particular SPA by reason of disturbance/displacement.”