Power station proposal turned down
Dublin-based company Mountlawn Ltd had proposed constructing the massive 400 megawatt station at Courtstown, Little Island, and connecting it with the national grid at a sub station a few miles north near the village of Knockraha.
The project was so large that it would have involved upgrading roads in the area, plus creating large fuel and effluent tanks and demolishing two existing homes.
Cork County Council initially refused permission but the power company appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
However, yesterday they were informed that they wouldn’t be allowed to proceed with the project.
The planning appeals board ruled that the land was zoned by the local authority, under the County Development Plan, for a large stand alone industry.
Mountlawn Ltd argued that was exactly what the power station represented, but An Bord Pleanála said its understanding was that the council didn’t envisage a power station as coming within that ambit.
The ABP report stated: “Such large stand alone industry forms a critical part of the economy of the Cork region and it has been reasonable policy of the planning authority, in successive County Development Plans, to designate a limited number of such large specifically zoned lands for such uses.
“Notwithstanding the need to develop additional electricity generating in the south-west of the country, it is considered that the development of the proposed power station would be prejudicial to the future use of the overall lands for a major stand alone industry.”
A number of local people had objected to the plan, including Glounthaune Community Association. A spokeswoman said: “We had major concerns about how the company was going to get the power from Little Island to Knockraha. We weren’t convinced that they’d put the powerlines underground.
“There was also a lot of concern about health and emissions. There is a high incidence of asthma in the area. In addition, the 50 metre stack would have been obtrusive.”
