An Bord Pleanála faces questions over health scrutiny of wind farm projects 

An Bord Pleanála is facing questions over its scrutiny of rural wind farms after the Health Service Executive said its environmental unit had no record of mandatory health notifications on two large projects.

Compulsory HSE notification is required in cases with potential health impacts, giving HSE officials an opportunity to make planning submissions. Notification is the responsibility of the promoter of a project, when advised by planners. The rules apply to strategic infrastructure applications made to An Bord Pleanála.

Two cases have come to light where An Bord Pleanála advised HSE consultation and said notification was made, only for the HSE to say its environmental unit received no records.

In a third case, wind farm case planners said mandatory notification was made but the HSE said it was its own environmental unit that sought the application.

An Bord Pleanála said three further wind farm proposals were scrutinised without HSE consultation because notification was mandatory only when there might be “significant effects on public health”.

Wind farms rank among the most contentious aspects of rural planning, with many projects under legal challenge.

Community and Environmental Protection Alliance (Cepa), a campaign group, has collected data showing several proposals have not been notified to the HSE. The group highlighted the cases after seeking wind farm submissions from HSE officials, who said they had no records of receiving certain applications.

“Our first concern is public health and it is shocking to know the vast majority of wind farm planning applications have not been sent to the HSE. Clearly an urgent review is required as public health is continuously put at risk,” said Cepa spokesman Stephen Keogh.

“We rely on the HSE’s contribution to planning and the HSE currently recommends the 2018 World Health Organisation guidance – with a maximum noise level of 37 decibels – to be the most appropriate criteria for noise assessment, to protect health.”

The first case involves the proposed 19-turbine Carrownagowan wind farm in Co Clare. Planners said the HSE was notified. However, a HSE official told the Cepa its national office had “no record of receipt” of the application.

The HSE said in response to questions that no such records were held by its local office or national business service unit, which is its environmental unit.

Carrownagowan promoters were “unable to comment” because of a High Court challenge but said the application includes “notified prescribed bodies, which includes the HSE”.

Asked about HSE statements, An Bord Pleanála said it can respond “only in relation to what it has documented and recorded” on applications.

The second case centres on a 12-turbine project at Ballycar, Co Clare. An Bord Pleanála again said notification was made.

The HSE environmental unit had “no record of receipt” of the application but noted online records saying a letter went to a HSE local office.

Ballycar promoters said they sent the required correspondence and produced a January 2024 letter to the HSE “environmental health service”.

An Bord Pleanála said the HSE was notified of the application for Oatfield wind farm in Co Clare. However, the HSE said there was no submission to its environmental unit and that the unit itself “made a request” for the application.

Orsted, the Oatfield promoter, cited legislative guidance and best practice: “In line with this we have communicated the relevant information on time via email and hard copy to the HSE.”

Planners said HSE notification was not required for the 21-turbine Castlebanny wind farm in Co Kilkenny. Similarly, HSE notification was not required for the eight-turbine Laurclavagh wind farm or the 11-turbine Clonberne wind farm in Co Galway.

The HSE said fulfilment of its statutory consultee role was predicated on it “being formally notified of planning applications as required” under planning legislation.