Permission for wind turbine near Temple House is refused

Temple House, which is close to the site where the wind turbine was proposed.

PLANNING permission has been refused for the installation of a wind turbine near to Temple House. Natural Forces Renewable Energy Ltd had applied to Sligo County Council for approval for one wind turbine with 110 metres (360 feet) high hub and an overal rotor tip height of up to 180metres (590 feet) to produce up to five megawatts of electricity at Templehouse, Rathbaun.

There was also to be an on-site 20kV electrical substation and it was proposed to install an 7.9km underground cable along public roads to connect to the electrical grid at the ESB substation in Ballymote. The turbine was to be located in a flat area of bogland. Temple House demense is 1.4kms from the site. A report by Rowan Engineering Consultants Ltd on behalf of the applicants states that Natural Forces is a private independent power producer that delivers renewable energy projects in partnership with local communities in line with the government’s renewable energy support scheme. It states that it is working to develop up to 10 projects of a similar scale with comunities across Ireland.

The Rowan Engineering report states that Natural Forces are proposing to work with local communities in a shared ownership model. It was proposed that a Renewable Energy Community be established in the community as the owner of 51% of the shares with Natural Foces as the development partner owning the remaining 49% and that revenues from the turbine would be “recycled back into the communities”.

Council planner Mairéad O’Hara stated that the importance of the Temple House demense was raised at pre-planning stage with the applicant. It was pointed out that the NIAH (National Inventory of Archtectural Heritage) has given Temple House a “National Importance” rating, describing it as “a commanding, monumental house, forming a feature of national importance in the architectural heritage of County Sligo. Owned by the Perceval family since 1665, it is full of historical as well as architectural interest” and the planner said the council “acknowledges the significant contribution it makes to Sligo’s rich architectural heritage”.

The planner pointed out that the turbine would be seen from the front of Temple House and it was considered that “the insertion of a wind turbine structure of such a significant height into such a landscape rich in its built, archaeological and cultural heritage could have a detrimental impact. The impact would not only be a direct impact on the building but on the entire demense”.

Ms O’Hara said that the county heritage officer had concerns that the development “will have a significant negative impact on the character, visual amenity and setting of Temple House demense and its associated archaeological and architectural heritage”. She recomended refusal of permission on two grounds. One was the “negative impact on the sensitive rural landscape” and the other was that it would “seriously injure and interfere with the setting of Temple House, which is subject to statutory protection in the Record of Monuments and Places”.