Tackling windfarm issue

PEOPLE fret nowadays when there’s a focus on the impact of a development, such as a windfarm on wildlife.

They argue that more emphasis should be on how humans might be affected, which is understandable.

This was again the case at a four-day planning hearing in Macroom, Co Cork, into a project by EirGrid to put a 40km powerline across a swathe of West Cork countryside. Farmers and others living along the route queued up to object, pointing to possible adverse effects on the landscape, quality of life and their livelihoods. They made their arguments eloquently and left nobody in doubt about a high level of local opposition.

However, with a raft of EU and national legislation governing wildlife, impacts on animals and birds have also to be taken into account. The area through which the line will pass is rich in flora and fauna, as was pointed out by Donal O’Leary of the Macroom District Environmental Group.

The Lee Valley and Bandon Valley have EU-protected habitats, while the Whooper Swan and the Golden Plover, which enjoy top-level EU protection, winter in the Gearagh. Some of these birds are killed when they collide with powerlines elsewhere, so EirGrid, which had a high-powered group of professionals in support, was at pains to highlight measures to prevent this.

EirGrid had to avoid certain areas because of the presence of the Whooper Swan and said that, by going east of the bird’s known flight path, a viable route was found. They are also prepared to use bird diverters, deemed acceptable by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which can be attached to powerlines.

As more wind farms are being constructed in Ireland, they need to be connected to the national grid mainly through overhead powerlines, so this will be an issue for a long time to come.

Communities will continue to object to wind farms and powerlines and there will be plenty of other hearings similar to what took place under the aegis of An Bord Pleanala, in Macroom.

With the Government and other official bodies all supporting renewable energy, however, planning permissions will continue to be granted for wind farms and powerlines _ in spite of local opposition.

The best opposing communities can hope for is that the lines will be placed underground (ruled out in West Cork largely due to the high costs), or for planning conditions to mitigate landscape intrusion, etc. Could a generous compensation offer to landowners be a crucial sweetner?