This article is from page 20 of the 2006-06-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
CLARE County Council’s windfarm strategy is hindering the county’s alternative energy industry, according to Green Party councillor, Brian Meaney.
He was responding to the turning down by An Bord Pleanála of plans for a new windfarm in the Lissycasey area. The board found that the proposal contravened the council’s wind energy strategy.
The decision by the appeals board to refuse planning permission to Thomas McNamara to build a 375-foot high one-turbine windfarm within 500 metres of Lissycasey means it is now two years since a windfarm has got the go-ahead in Clare.
Clare County Council established “no-go” areas for windfarms in the Clare County Development Plan.
The number of planning applications for windfarms has also come to a near standstill, because of a Government-imposed moratorium on new windfarms making connections to the national grid.
“There is no doubt that the windfarm strategy is hindering the development of windfarms and surely any policy should be proactive in supporting alternative energy uses, especially as farmers seek to diversify their streams of income,” said Cllr Meaney.
He said that the council must revisit the strategy and identify the areas where it would be open to consider the location of windfarms.
“I believe that the current council policies are too restrictive and should be revisited in order to put in place a greater tolerance towards wind energy.
“Many of the locations in west Clare are deemed unsuitable for wind energy. That should also be revisited, as should the number of areas countywide deemed suitable for windfarms.
“In comparison to other western counties, Clare has a very small number of windfarms.”
Currently, there are two windfarms operating in Clare, one outside Kilrush and a second near the village of Connolly.
The latest windfarm developer fell foul of the council, because the proposed farm was within 500 metres of the village of Lissycasey, though it was not included in the “no-go” areas for windfarm development.