Councillor calls for rejection of wind farm plan
A local councillor has called for the rejection of a plan for a 22 turbine wind farm in the Nagle Mountains and Blackwater Valley area, saying the development would adversely effect the lives of people living in the region.
The project was deemed a Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) and so was sent straight to An Bord Pleanala for consideration. Cllr William O’Leary has this week called for Cork County Council to pass a resolution that they call for the complete rejection of the development: “On the grounds human health, on environmental and ecological grounds which are clearly outlined in this report and on the impact that this development would have on our designated Special Areas of conservation.”
“I would say as a country we do need to look at new ways at generating power and electricity and wind is certainly an important part of this process. However, meeting our energy goals should not be used to justify the wrong development in the wrong location and the need for renewable energy does not automatically override environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities,” he said.
“For me, personally, the profit making enterprise of private companies and some aspects of the public sector should never adversely effect the people we represent, the communities we represent and the beauty of our countryside. It is clear that development in its current guise would do exactly just that. And I make no apologies in that regard.
“We need to eliminate out the contradiction that sometimes we are all guilty of. We are in the midst of developing a new county development (plan), 3 of the areas that I represent that this project will effect are Glenvile Ballyhooly, and Killavullen,” he added.
IMPACT ON HEALTH & WILDLIFE
Cllr O’Leary said that the draft county development plan described Glenville as ‘a valued agriculture area’.
“The aim of the plan will be to preserve this unique landscape setting, particularly the scenic and the amenity values of the Bride Valley river. Killavullen it describes as being entrenched within the Blackwater SAC, and Ballyhooly is somewhere being described as of ‘environmental interest and importance’. A granting of permission by ABP for this development would bring our own CDP into disrepute with regards these key areas,” he added.
Cllr O’Leary said the driving force of his opposition was around health concerns he had associated with the project.
He explained that a report carried out by the council identified the impact it would have on the hen harrier and bat populations in the area.
“The ecologist is not convinced the mitigation measures proposed are sufficient to offset the impact on these protected species. Any significant impacts on protected species would be contrary to the provisions of the Cork County Development Plan,” he added.