July 23, 2017
Northern Ireland

Developer succeeds in reversing planning refusal for wind farm

By Ryan McAleer | Ulster Herald | July 22, 2017 | ulsterherald.com

An England-based wind energy developer has successfully overturned a decision to refuse planning permission for three new turbines near Killeter.

It comes just two months after Doreen Walker, a Jamaican national based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, successfully overturned a bid to erect five turbines in the Scraghey area near the Donegal border.

The wind energy entrepreneur had spent more than a decade seeking planning permission for the Altgolan Wind Farm before it was eventually secured at the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) in May.

Now the PAC has overturned another decision to refuse three new 110 metre turbines at the Seegronan Wind Farm near Killeter.

The decision on June 30 followed a hearing on February 2, 2017, where Doreen Walker was present as the main appellant.

Ms Walker has been a key figure behind numerous wind farm projects across Tyrone in recent years, including the controversial Screggagh Wind Farm outside Fintona, where a turbine collapsed in January 2015.

The success of the appeal will see another three turbines join the six existing structures at the Seegronan Wind Farm.

As it stands, there are currently 25 turbines in three wind farms within 10km of the site, including four at Thornog Wind Farm, which Ms Walker is also linked to.

The two successful appeals by Ms Walker along with another four turbines planned over the border at Crilly will soon bring the total inside six miles to 37.

There are also 12 single standing turbines within 6.5km of the site near Seegronan Road.

When the net is thrown wider to a 12-mile radius of the site, the total wind turbines in the landscape currently number 95. But that number will soon rise to 111 when approved projects are completed.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/07/23/developer-succeeds-in-reversing-planning-refusal-for-wind-farm/