Wind farm threat to value of homes

I WAS very disappointed by your one-sided report headlined ‘Claim tiny minority of locals opposed to €200m wind farm plan’ (July 6).

The use of questionable statistics to try to support the argument for the proposed Mount Callan wind turbine development in Co Clare suggests to me an increasing desperation on the part of the company involved to bring this planning application to a conclusion.

I believe the application lacks credibility because the environmental impact statement produced was so sub-standard that the company was required to clarify and supply further information on 59 separate issues.

This does not represent “an exceptionally detailed environmental impact statement”.

A company director states that 30 farm families stand to profit from their application.

While I understand these families desire to better their financial situation, and I do not begrudge them that, more than 40 families most directly affected by the planning application do not wish their gain to be as a direct result of rendering our sole assets — our houses — valueless and blighted through noise, flicker pollution and loss of amenity.

Wind turbine development promoters should bear in mind that planning applications of this sort are far more likely to succeed where all local people are consulted and their concerns acted upon, and where international best practice norms of siting wind turbines no less than 2km from houses are applied.

Local people are not prepared to be considered merely collateral damage and accept destruction of the value and amenity of our homes.

We completely understand the need for wind energy in this country and do not oppose wind farms as such, but it is not acceptable for turbines to be placed within 2km of a home.

Sallyann Marron

Coore East

Mullagh

Co Clare