Major wind farm on Cork-Waterford border gets go-ahead
Permission was granted with 24 conditions, including provisions that the turbines’ hub height shall be within the range of 83.5m to 93.5m and blade lengths between 56.5m and 66.5m. File photo
A major wind farm that will straddle the Cork/Waterford border has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála.
Kilkenny-based renewable energy company Curns Energy Ltd, plans to construct 17 turbines across 733 hectares in an area known as Lyrenacarriga. Situated 5km southeast of Tallow and 9km northwest of Youghal, the land is part-owned by Coillte.
Local authorities in the two counties had made submissions opposing the development, the application for which was lodged in January 2021. Other submissions were made by agencies such as An Taisce, the Deptartment of Tourism, the Irish Aviation Authority, Inland Fisheries Ireland and TII.
In a 297-page report, the board found the development meets the requirements and guidelines of climate change policies at national, regional and local levels. The board also instructed that the mitigation measures and monitoring commitments identified in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, the Natura Impact Statement and further plans and particulars be implemented in full.
Concerns had included fears that excavation work might infiltrate underground and overground streams that are pumped to an intake filter system at Boola and in turn feed into Youghal’s public water supply. However, the board was satisfied that the applicant had “submitted detailed proposals to protect water quality during the construction and operational stages of this proposed development”.
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Permission was granted with 24 conditions, including provisions that the turbines’ hub height shall be within the range of 83.5m to 93.5m and blade lengths between 56.5m and 66.5m. The overall tip height shall be 150m and the height of a permanent meteorological mast within 100 to 112 metres.
Shadow flicker shall not exceed 30 hours per year or 30 minutes per day. Eleven of the 5MW capacity turbines will be sited on the west Waterford side and six in east Cork, with both sets linked by a 3.3km underground cable.
Construction has a 10-year start period with operating permission for 30 years. Ancillary works will include an upgrade to existing roads and construction of new access routes and an electricity substation.
Paddy Massey of the Blackwater Wind Aware protest group says they are “deeply disappointed but not very surprised, given the inconsistency of the Bord’s decisions. We will study the report and consider our options''.
West Waterford Sinn Féin Councillor, Conor McGuinness, who made a detailed submission opposing the development says he is “stunned” by the decision. “There were queues at several local post offices such was the volume of submissions being submitted,” he said. “The planning process was extremely convoluted and very many people will be distraught at this decision”.
Curns Energy is a joint venture between RWE Renewables Ireland Ltd (formerly Innogy Renewables Ireland Ltd) and Highfield Energy Ltd.
