Coillte's Cullenagh wind farm to go ahead after appeal concerning freshwater pearl mussel rejected

The way has been cleared for the development of a wind farm after the Court of Appeal rejected a challenge to planning permission centring on concerns for a “critically endangered” freshwater pearl mussel.

Coillte can proceed with erecting 18 wind turbines and associated development on lands at Cullenagh, close to the villages of Timahoe and Ballyroan, Co Laois.

People Over Wind challenged the development on grounds including concerns about a protected fauna in the River Nore Special Area of Conservation, the Nore freshwater pearl mussel.