The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Locals up in arms over windfarm plans
EAST KERRY WINDFARM APPLICATION ATTRACTS 50 OBJECTIONS AND A SINGLE GROUP SUBMISSION COMPRISED OF MORE THAN 180 SIGNATURES AGAINST ENERGY PROPOSAL
A GROUNDSWELL of opposition is building to the development of wind energy in the county as scores of homeowners in the Sliabh Luachra area lodge submissions opposing a plan to build 14 giant turbines on their doorstep.
Proximity to homes, shadow flicker, environmental damage, visual impact and noise pollution were all cited as concerns by scores of locals at a public meeting in Gneeveguilla on Monday night.
Their objection echoes that of the North Kerry Wind Turbine Awareness Group (NKWTAG), set up in Finuge to fight a plan to erect what would be the largest turbines in Ireland close to homes in the low-lying area.
The North Kerry group has just been refused leave to appeal the Commercial Court decision of March in which it lost its case to overturn An Bord Pleanála’s granting of an appeal to the wind company behind the plan Stacks Mountain Windfarm Ltd.
It’s a legal battle that has cost the Finuge group in the order of €100,000 so far, but secretary Tony Carroll said the fight is far from over.
“We’re exploring other legal avenues now to take the fight further as we’re not giving up following the latest decision. The last lie down will be in front of the first truck,” he vowed.
A PLANNING application to erect 14 ‘mammoth’ wind turbines between Gneeveguilla and Ballydesmond has received over 50 formal objections along with a single group objection comprising more than 180 signatures.
A fourth public meeting was held on Monday night in Gneeveguilla which received very strong local backing that they did not want the turbines “in any shape or form.”
Kerry County Council has received a mammoth planning application of over 1,300 pages from Silver Birch Renewables Ltd to erect the turbines which would extend across 15 individual landholdings in the townlands of Tooreenagarriv, Ballynahulla, Barna, Knocknageeha, Lisheen, Reanasup and Reaboy. The wind turbine company is hoping to secure planning for two turbines in Barna, one in Knocknageeha, two in Reanasup, one in Lisheen, three in Reaboy and five in Ballynahulla.
However, it is the sheer size of the proposed turbines which is causing deep concern among residents as Silver Birch Renewables Ltd hopes to ‘secure planning for 10 years for the development of the 14 wind turbines, which would have a rotor diameter of up to 120 metres and a blade tip height of up to 150 metres above ground level.’
They would be among the highest ever developed in the country.
Planning permission is also being sought for two permanent meteorological masts and two medium voltage substation and one high voltage substation and 13 new site entrances consisting of seven new and six upgraded.
On the Silver Birch Renewables Ltd website, there are more than 17 letters of consent signed by landowners based in Reanasup, Lisheen, Knocknageeha, Reaboy, Ballinahulla in Ballydesmond, Knockrour East, Scartaglin and Tooreencahill stating that they are giving their permission to Silver Birch Renewables Ltd to make their planning application for the development of the windfarm on their lands.
In one such letter, it is stated that the ‘compensation package will be €1,000 on signing (this) letter and €1,000 per year (index linked) from first exporting the power for the lifetime of the windfarm (approx 20 years).’ The development land earmarked for the turbines will be leased from the landowners – including Coillte.
In November 2016, Collette Hunt on behalf of Coillte Teorana wrote to Kerry County Council confirming that negotiations were ‘at an advanced stage with Saorgus Energy Ltd/Silverbirch Renewables Ltd’ in respect of an option for a proposed windfarm to be located on lands which include lands owned by Coillte.
Some landowners also signed further consent forms that the wind turbines “can be located within 2.5 rotor diameters of their land boundary and the proposed rotor diameter could be 120 metres depending on the suitability of the turbine for the site/location.”
Most of the letters of consentwere signed by landowners in March 2017 but others were also signed between August and September 2015.
Letters of objection state strongly that should the wind turbines be granted planning, it would lead to degradation of the region as well as a huge environmental impact and lead to the decrease in the value of property as well as health and safety risks.
The fear of Japanese knotweed further spreading was also cited, along with the possibility of a re-occurance of the 1896 Knocknageeha landslide. Other factors cited included damage to flora and fauna.
At the public meeting, Cllr Brendan Cronin (Ind) said he strongly backed the local campaign, ‘Sliabh Luachra Windfarm’ and residents who objected and said he has seen what wind turbines do to a region.
“This has a devastating effect on families and it splits communities without question. It’s a huge problem,” he said.
He said that having wind-turbines in Ballydesmond and Gneeveguilla of “such a monstrous size” was difficult to even contemplate.
He was also critical of the level of public consultation by Silver Birch Renewables Ltd describing it as “very poor.”
Thomas Fitzpatrick and Shaun O’Rourke, who are both homeowners fear they will be greatly affected by the wind turbines if the development is allowed proceed. They said they had contacted Silver Birch Renewables Ltd twice to attend the public meting and they failed to get a response.
Mr Rourke said they had only become aware of the planning application two weeks ago when Mr Fitzpatrick happened to see the application and they, along with other residents, were on the back-foot in launching their own campaign and lodging objections as the the final date for making submissions to Kerry County Council was fast approaching.
The vast 1,385 planning application on the KCC website contains an Environmental Impact Statement undertaken by Malachy Walsh & Partners for Silver Birch Renewables Ltd, where it is stated that no significant negative impacts are envisaged in relation to the human environment and noise and shadow flicker will be controlled by technology at source ensuring acceptable levels are not exceeded.
It also states that habitat loss as a result of the proposed development is not considered significant and no rare or protected plant species were detected within the proposed development site. Regarding noise, it is stated that the ‘relevant noise thresholds set out in the wind farm planning guidelines will be achieved at all locations.’
An email from the wind firm’s Community Liaison Officer informed The Kerryman that a query we lodged on the plan had been noted and that the company would respond in writing ‘shortly’. There was no response by the time of going to press on Tuesday.