July 11, 2013
Ireland

Nearly 250 objections lodged against proposed Ardglass windfarm

Ellen Lynch | Avondhu Press | 11 July 2013 | www.avondhupress.ie

Nearly 250 objections have been lodged with Cork County Council against the proposed wind farm at Ardglass. It’s understood to be the highest number of objections against a proposed commercial developed ever lodged in Cork county.

The objections were made by individuals, families and local businesses, including Midleton Distillery who are building maturation warehouses on a site bought from Coillte adjacent to the proposed windfarm site. Also numbered among the objectors are politicians including TDs David Stanton and Sandra McLennan and area county councillors Noel Collins, Michelle Hennessey, Barbara Murray and Midleton Town Councillor Pat Buckley.

A spokesman for the Ardglass Wind Turbine Action Awareness Group pointed out that, with each objector having to pay a fee of €20 to make their submission, the number of those who did was significant.

“It was a mistake to try and site the windfarm here, too close to too many families, and this is borne out by the number of objections,” he said.

Ardglass Wind Farm Ltd. proposes to construct 11 wind turbines larger than any previously constructed in this country on the Castlelyons to Dungourney road in an area between Fermoy and Midleton. The developers are a partnership between Enerco Energy Limited, local landowners and Coillte.

Residents have a number of concerns including noise, shadow flicker, the visual aspect of the proposed development, health worries and the fear that their properties will drastically diminish in value if the development goes ahead.

Cork County Council is due to give its decision on July 16. The awareness group have already signalled their intention to appeal the matter to An Bord Pleanala if the council gives the development the go-ahead.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/11/nearly-250-objections-lodged-against-proposed-ardglass-windfarm/