Wind farm for North Cork refused planning

A six-turbine windfarm for north Cork has been refused planning permission by Cork County Council.

Annagh Wind Farm Limited lodged plans with the Council on December 2, 2021, for planning permission to construct six wind turbines with a blade tip height of 175m at locations in Annagh North, Coolcaum, Fiddane, Cooliney, Rathnacally, Farranshonikeen, Ardnageehy and Clashganniv, County Cork.

The turbines would have had a rotor diameter of 150m and a hub height of 100m.

Planning was requested for a 10-year permission and 35-year operational life from the date of commissioning of the entire wind farm. The application was accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natural Impact Statement.

According to Annagh Wind Farm Ltd, the €36.6m investment would have created 57 direct jobs, and generated €6m in County Council rates and €11.2m in Corporate Tax.

The plans attracted a considerable number of observations and submissions, including one which said, “the community in its entirety is seriously concerned regarding the development” and there has been a lack of public consultation.

“None of the residents in our area were informed about any of the public consultations pre covid,” it stated.

“Considering there is no broadband in the area and the satellite broadband we do receive is sketchy at best this was not acceptable. The fact that the vast majority of the residents in this locality are elderly and would struggle with IT, this has also disadvantaged this cohort of the community.

“On a recent trip around the locality to discuss the proposed development, most of our elderly residents were unaware that the windfarm was actually happening."

Another submission said the area is a sanctuary for wild geese, and the turbines would pose a “serious threat” to birds and bats in their flight paths.

Submissions were made by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Irish Aviation Authority, Geological Survey Ireland, Irish Water, Gas Networks Ireland, and the Departments of Defence, Agriculture, and Housing, among others.

The decision date was put back from December 22, 2022, to January 6, 2023. Last Friday, the Council announced it had refused planning permission.