July 15, 2020
Ireland

‘No windfarm here’

By Sinead Kelleher | The Kerryman | 15 Jul 2020 |

Furious residents in East Kerry say they are prepared to fight until the bitter end to oppose plans for a windfarm close to their homes after it emerged that plans are underway for another windfarm in the county.

Land-owners in the region have been approached for land to develop a potential windfarm and The Kerryman understands that a number of contracts have already been signed setting plans in motion. However, no planning permission has yet been sought.

Letters, seeking to talk, have been sent to land-owners from Galway based consultancy firm MKO. The letter does not state that the project is a windfarm but local campaigners said that they are aware that the proposal is for at least 14 turbines in lands in Barraduff, Glenflesk, Headford and Killarney, taking in various townlands in these areas. The letter begins: “I represent a developer of projects who has an interest in your land.

“I wonder if you please might be able to contact me using the details below so I might have an early stage discussion with you regarding the potential project to gauge if you would have any interest in the proposal.”

On their website, MKO state they are on the cutting edge of Irish wind energy planning.

A campaign group, East Kerry Wind Aware, has been set up to fight against such plans, citing concerns about the proximity of the turbines to residential homes as a key concern.

The group is being supported in their campaign by Sliabh Luachra Wind Awareness group who were successful in preventing a large-scale windfarm in the Sliabh Luachra region.

The proposed lands have been identified by Eirgrid as potential locations for wind and solar farms but the Kerry County Development Plan states such lands are not ‘open for consideration’.

A public meeting was to take place at Barrduff Community Field on Tuesday night to fight against any potential plans.

Fred O’Sullivan of the Sliabh Luachra group said that the plan is at very “early stages” but the community will fight.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/07/15/no-windfarm-here/