August 16, 2019
Northern Ireland

Seven-turbine wind farm outside Derry given go-ahead

Claire Simpson | The Irish News | 16 August, 2019 | www.irishnews.com

A new windfarm outside Derry will provide electricity for more than 12,200 homes in the area, the company behind the project has said.

The seven-turbine Barr Cregg Wind Farm has been given the go-ahead following a lengthy planning process.

The company behind the scheme, Renewable Energy Systems Ltd (RES), said the turbines will be able to provide electricity for more than a fifth of households in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

It said the project will generate more than £7 million for the economy.

The windfarm will see seven turbines built over the townlands of Barr Cregg, Ballymaclanigan and Slaghtmanus.

The turbines will have a maximum height of 125m.

An initial application for the wind farm was turned down by Derry City & Strabane District Council in July 2015.

An appeal against the council’s decision was later dismissed by the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC).

Following a High Court judgment in January 2018, the PAC decision was then quashed.

The company was told earlier this week that the project had been given the go-ahead.

Fraser Merry, head of wind projects at RES, said the wind farm “has high levels of local support and will make a significant contribution to the Northern Ireland economy”.

“We anticipated £7.77 million will be spent during construction and £6 million of inward investment in Derry and Strabane District Council area in the form of business rates,” he said.

“At RES we have a track record of using local contractors to deliver our projects and look forward to working with businesses in the area to deliver Barr Cregg Wind Farm.”

The wind farm is the latest in the north to be given planning permission.

Craiggore wind farm in the Co Derry townlands of Moneyguiggy and Craiggore Forest at Belraugh Road near Garvagh, will be built later this year.

It is expected to start operating in early 2021 and will provide enough electricity to power around 21,500 homes.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/08/16/seven-turbine-wind-farm-outside-derry-given-go-ahead/