Windfarm works get turned down by Council

SLIGO County Council has refused planning permission for the laying of an electricity cable underground leading from a wind farm.

The proposed development consisted of the laying an underground 38kV electricity cable and associated ducting and ancillary development primarily within the public road to facilitate the connection of the permitted Derrysallagh Wind Farm within the townlands of Derrysallagh and Glen, Co. Sligo to the National electricity grid via the existing Garvagh 110kV substation in the townland of Seltan, County Leitrim.

The company, Derrysallagh Windfarm Ltd has already gone to the Commercial Court in relation to the project revealing it has to hook up to the grid by December next year and it fears threatened litigation by a farmer over the running of cables under a public road near his lands could cause delays. The company is seeking a declaration that a farmer whom it said has threatened litigation, has no right or title in the lands under the public road such as would disentitle the windfarm from carrying out grid connection works.

Mr Justice Robert Haughton has admitted the case to the fast track Commercial Court list and returned it to October.