Planners to seek reduction in number of wind farms proposed for mid-Cork site 

Council has asked An Bord Pleanála to seek further information on a number of issues from the developers, Ballinagree Wind DAC. File picture Denis Minihane

County council planners are to urge An Bord Pleanála to reduce the number of wind turbines proposed for a site in mid-Cork for “ecological reasons".

An Bord Pleanála will have the ultimate decision on whether the application for 20 turbines near the village of Ballinagree goes ahead, as it is deemed a strategic infrastructure project.

Michael Lynch, the council’s chief planner, told councillors attending a meeting in County Hall that the council wants the number allowed reduced from 20 to 16.

He said planners have identified the locations of four of the turbines as being inappropriate because they could have an impact on the local ecology.

Mr Lynch added the council has asked An Bord Pleanála to seek further information on a number of issues from the developers, Ballinagree Wind DAC.

“We consider there would be issues which would benefit by being addressed,” Mr Lynch said, although he didn’t go into them specifically.

Conditions

He also said the county council would be advising An Bord Pleanála that a number of conditions should be imposed on the developers if permission is given for the project to proceed.

The turbines proposed would have a blade height range from 179m-185m and hub height ranges from 102.5m to 110.5m. The rotor diameters range from 149m to 185m.

The local authority’s submission to An Bord Pleanála will also include comments from councillors who attended the meeting.

Fianna Fáil councillor Gobnait Moynihan said public engagement by the developers had been “very restricted” due to the pandemic.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Looney said: “No one is really against green energy. It’s more important now than ever. But the issue was there was not proper consultation."

Mr Lynch said the council would ask An Bord Pleanála to impose a condition whereby the developer would submit a bond of €300,000 to the local authority which would be used to repair any damage to local roads during construction.

Ms Moynihan said this should be increased to €1m.

She maintained a lot of damage had been done to rural roads in the past by wind farm construction and €300,000 of a bond might not be enough for repairs.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Creed said if council engineers were happy with a €300,000 bond, then their recommendation should be accepted.

Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath got a compromise when he suggested the council let An Bord Pleanála decide on a fair figure in "excess of €300,000".