March 14, 2014
Ireland

Wind turbines height increase refused as it will impact on scenic Donegal

Christina Finn | www.thejournal.ie

Increasing the height of two wind turbines near Kinnagoe Bay by up to 24 per cent has been refused by Donegal County Council who said the height would impact on the scenic skyline and driving section of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Local residents welcomed the decision of the council, stating that the tip height of 132 metres of the turbines would be too high.

Wild Atlantic Way

The Council’s refusal is based on a new national tourist development called the Wild Atlantic Way – which is Ireland’s first long-distance touring route, stretching along the Atlantic coast from Donegal to West Cork.

The road passing Crockbrack Hill is now identified as a scenic driving section, a fundamental element of the route, providing the visitor with opportunities to see and experience the best land and seascapes along the route.

Kinnagoe Bay is a discovery point, the third point on the Wild Atlantic Way when you start the route from Derry and the North.

The council refused the height increase stating that the “subject site is located in a sensitive rural location and coastal environment”, and if permission were granted would give a “visually unbalanced” view within the environment and give an “inappropriate spatial dominance”.

They added that it is there policy “not to permit development proposals which would detract from the visual quality/amenity on either the approach roads to, or the views to be had from significant tourist attractions”, concluding that it would visually “detract” from the ammenity that is the Wild Atlantic Way.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/14/wind-turbines-height-increase-refused-as-it-will-impact-on-scenic-donegal/