Call for ‘immediate pause’ to County Derry wind farm planning application 

An independent candidate in the upcoming council elections is calling for an ‘immediate pause’ to a planning application for a proposed wind farm near Dungiven.

ABO Wind NI Ltd have submitted a planning application to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to erect a number of 140 metre high wind turbines in the townlands of Brishey and Curraghlane, approximately 4.8km east of Dungiven.

However Niall Murphy says he has ‘very serious concerns’ about the way the company’s pre-application consultation was conducted.

“I do not believe it was fit for purpose, or comes close to satisfying the required threshold for openness and transparency for a project of this nature,” he said.

“In my view the planning process for this wind farm must be paused to allow the people of Dungiven to take stock.”

The Dungiven man fears if the planning application is given the green light then it could ‘fundamentally change the natural heritage and character’ of the town.

“This is just the beginning for wind turbines coming right forward to the front of the mountain. If this application is approved, then there will be many more and within the next ten years the entire ridgeline of Benbradagh will be dominated by wind turbines. In my view this will fundamentally change the natural heritage and character of Dungiven. As can be seen from the proposed plans, ABO Wind NI intend to position a wind turbine right next to the car park on top of Benbradagh – that’s how far forward they are trying to get now.”

Mr Murphy believes that the community of Dungiven should be given the opportunity to ‘properly consider’ the application.

“The public consultation to date for this wind farm appears to have been conducted in such a way as to keep people in Dungiven in the dark,” he continued.

“The proposal of application notice, submitted in advance of a full planning application, sets out all the ways ABO Wind NI intended to consult on the Brishey Wind Farm project. Bearing in mind this wind farm will be located right next to Dungiven, the one and only consultation event for the project was held in Glenullin Resource Centre. There was a single information stand placed in Dungiven Library and it is claimed that leaflets and posters for the project were placed in local shops, however I personally never saw any of it.

“The fact is, most people from the Dungiven area have no idea this is being planned and the first they will know of it is when these wind turbines start going up on Benbradagh. Considering the permanent impact this will have on the natural heritage of this area, I think that is unacceptable.”

Mr Murphy continued: “This is not a question of supporting renewable energy – which I do, I am all for diversifying our means of energy production. This is a question of openness and transparency in how and where these projects are approved and situated. I think most people would assume that these projects are distributed evenly across the North, but this isn’t the case. There is a significant inequality in where wind farm projects are being located. There is not one single wind farm anywhere in County Down or around Belfast, with just one on the Ards Peninsula. Is there no wind on the Mourne Mountains? This disparity must be addressed.

“To allow for proper consideration of these plans and their future long term implications, I am calling for the planning process for Brishey Wind Farm to be paused immediately. Maybe the people of this area will support it completely, and as a local Councillor I would respect that view. Whatever the outcome, my position is the question should be properly asked and the future of this project should be bound by that.”

An ABO Wind spokesperson said: “A comprehensive Pre-application Community Consultation process, which went beyond statutory requirements, was undertaken for the proposed Brishey Wind Farm before the planning application for the project was submitted to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

“This included information about the project and the consultation process being issued directly to properties within 2 kilometres of the proposed site, a dedicated project website, an in-person community consultation event which was advertised in two local newspapers as well as local centres including Dungiven Library, and direct engagement with local stakeholders.

“Local communities, political leaders and governments are more aware than ever before about the climate crisis. The Climate Change Act sets out that by 2030 at least 80% of our electricity consumption should come from renewables. The Brishey Wind Farm is required to help achieve that target and to help ensure we have a reliable and sustainable electricity supply in the years ahead.

“Locally, it will lead to substantial investment in the rural economy, result in significant business rates to the council, and through a dedicated Community Benefit Fund will help to support and sustain essential groups and organisations in the area.

“At ABO Wind we are proud to work in partnership with local communities to deliver sustainable, long-term solutions to the climate crisis, and we are hopeful a positive decision on the planning application for the Brishey Wind Farm is reached so the benefits of the project to the local area can be realised.”