This article is from page 17 of the 2007-10-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
AN BORD Pleanala has refused planning permission for a €15 mil- lion wind farm in west Clare due to the impact the proposal would have on protected birds such as Hen Har- riers and Whooper Swans.
Earlier this year, Clare County Council granted planning permission to a German company, Pro Ventum, to construct a six-turbine windfarm near the west Clare towns of Kilrush and Kilkee. The company already has in place a seven turbine farm in close proximity to the new site – only one of two in operation in Clare.
The application was originally lodged four years ago in May 2003 but it wasn’t until February of this year that the council granted permis- sion after a long delay by the appli- cants in providing new information.
However, the decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala by chairman of the Moanmore Action Group, Frank Lillis. Mr Lillis claimed that the cu- mulative effect of an enlarged wind- farm operation in such close proxim- ity raised serious health issues and that Birdwatch Ireland stated that there should be a presumption against siting windfarms in or adjacent to sensitive ecological areas including Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
The Inspector’s report cites a De-
partment of the Environment which states dissatisfaction with the ab- sence of any recent bird survey and an analysis of the impact of the adja- cent windfarm upon certain species.
The Inspector stated, “I have as- sessed the documentation submitted regarding these Annex | species and visited the site, yet consider the detail provided with regard to the impact of the development upon these Annex | species and furthermore, the cumula- tive impact of a 13 turbine wind farm upon these birds to be inadequate.”
The inspector said that an updated bird survey should have been carried out by the applicant. “I consider that insufficient information has been pro- vided to support the applicant’s state- ment that the proposed development would not by itself or cumulatively have an adverse impact upon the mi- eratory path or feeding grounds of these three bird species, identified un- der EU law for protection.”
The inspector warns that the cu- mulative effects of the two turbine developments on the habitat of the hen harrier on the basis of current knowledge and research are not es- tablished. The proposed develop- ment is located on a site identified as being in close proximity to a direct flight path for feeding and roosting sites of species listed for protection in the Birds Directive.