West Cork community braced for legal challenge to windfarm
Hotelier Neil Lucey with local residents Tim Twomey and Paul Lynch at Gougane Barra in Co Cork. They are concerned over a proposed new wind farm which will have wind turbines standing 178.5m tall. Picture: Dan Linehan
A small rural community is braced for a legal challenge costing up to €100,000 over an “appalling” decision granting planning permission for a windfarm near Gougane Barra.
An Bord Pleanála last month overturned Cork County Council’s planning refusal for Wingleaf Ltd to build a seven-turbine windfarm at Curraglass, less than 3km from Gougane’s St Finbarr’s Oratory, against the recommendation of its own planning inspector.
Gaeltacht development committee Coiste Forbartha Béal Átha ’n Ghaorthaidh is now seeking a legal document review to ascertain whether there is scope for a High Court judicial review challenging the decision-making process.
Life in the unspoilt natural valley of Gougane Barra in West Cork has been irrevocably changed this week as @anbordpleanala has given permission to a controversial €30 million ultra-high windfarm project on the southern slopes of Gougane Barra, in Curraglass & Derreendonee. pic.twitter.com/74rJfKSHvF
— Gougane Barra Hotel (@gouganebarra) February 6, 2022
Outrage over An Bord Pleanála’s decision has spread internationally via social media. Gougane Barra Hotel owner Neil Lucey said the 178.5m turbines will damage tourism, with a further six windfarms already operational or in development in the wider area.
“For us to promote Gougane Barra in the future and tell people this is an absolutely beautiful place, we can take all the pictures we want, but when they come through the Pass of Keimaneigh and find windfarm after windfarm and a huge hum of turbine [noise], then we’re a sham,” said Mr Lucey.
Cork County Council, in refusing permission, said the windfarm would materially contravene the objectives of the county development plan and “provide for a highly intrusive, visually domineering form of development that debases the integrity and the landscape character”.
An Bord Pleanála senior planning inspector Kevin Moore also recommended refusal, saying “this is a development that would have significant adverse environmental and visual impacts and is not sustainable at this highly sensitive location”.
However, An Bord Pleanála ruled the windfarm would “have an acceptable impact on the landscape having regard to its overall benefits” and would “not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area”.
Mr Lucey criticised the planning process.
“If the majority of businesses in this area, our community, our local development committee, our county council, our planning department and tourism department within the council, and the inspector that looked at the document within An Bord Pleanála – a serious majority of people – said no, this is not in the right place, then all of a sudden An Bord Pleanála say yes, why did they say yes?” he said.
Granting permission, the board said the windfarm would “make a positive contribution to the implementation of Ireland’s national strategic policy on renewable energy and its move to a low energy carbon future”.
The coiste forbartha’s Tim Twomey said regarding energy targets: “There’s a whole raft of other solutions. If you draw up a list of alternatives, wrecking Gougane Barra’s down at the very end, not up at the top, so why do it here when there are so many other things you could do?
“This is so appalling. There are people across the world in love with this place.”
A community appeal has been made for €3,000 to fund an initial review. “If as a consequence of the documentation review, we decide there are enough grounds to go forward with the judicial review, we are going to have to raise the [greater part] of €100,000 with crowd funding,” said Mr Twomey.
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