Kerry council to review renewable energy policy after protest by locals

Kerry County Council is to undertake a revision of its renewable energy policy with regard to the siting of wind turbines, which will include additional landscape protection designations.

A second protest in recent months against wind farming and the development of new technologies like battery storage unit compounds took place outside the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council recently.

The protest was mounted by representatives of communities across Sliabh Luachra on the Kerry-Cork border. The area is being torn apart by the placement of wind turbines, representatives from Save Sliabh Luachra and the East Kerry Wind Turbine Awareness groups said.

Battery storage compounds are being given permission alongside Kerry villages, with one recently granted permission by the council near Ballydesmond, objectors said.

Two High Court judicial reviews of decisions by An Bord Pleanála are being taken by the group, which is going door-to-door to fundraise to meet the costs — one against a major wind farm stretching across Gneeveguilla, which had been refused by the council, and a second against a battery storage unit given permission by the council near Ballydesmond.

“We don’t want any more wind turbines. We want to change the county development plan,” said teacher Clare Bell, who lives in Gneeveguilla.

Spokesman Fred O’Sullivan said councillors from a previous council had zoned the whole area as open to consideration for wind and other experimental technologies, with no consultation with the communities or current councillors.

Newly elected Independent councillor Charlie Farrelly, representing Castleisland in Sliabh Luachra, is calling for a variation to the development plan so wind turbines are set back “15 times the turbine’s height” from the nearest residential property. He also called for a review of policy.

It was seconded by Cllr Toireasa Ferris of Sinn Féin. Cllr Farrelly said people adjacent to wind turbines were now in “a terrible, terrible situation”. He was not satisfied with the timescale promised by the council and felt the review is not progressing fast enough.

Director of services Michael Scannell said mapping needs to be finalised and ministerial national guidelines should be published soon. Previous meetings have been told that no changes with regard to “setback distance” could be made until the national guidelines are in place.