Wind Power News: Northern Ireland
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Knock Iveagh: Planning system branded ‘profoundly ill’ after Minister declines to move against wind turbine
Northern Ireland’s planning system has been branded “profoundly ill” after John O’Dowd’s decision not to enforce planning restrictions against a wind turbine built near a 5,000 year-old Neolithic burial site. Campaigners have long been calling for enforcement of the regulations against the development, a move that was supported by the Historic Monuments Council and the government’s own archaeologists. The turbine was passed when planning powers lay with Stormont although it is understood heritage experts, who would have recommended refusal, were . . . Complete story »
Knock Iveagh: Removing wind turbine is council’s job, John O’Dowd says
Campaigners have said they are extremely disappointed after the infrastructure minister decided not to take action against a controversial wind turbine in County Down. The turbine is at Knock Iveagh, a 5,000-year-old Neolithic burial site and historic monument near Rathfriland, Opponents believe the turbine damages the heritage site. However there has been an ongoing row over who is responsible for taking action against it. The Department of Infrastructure said the minister, John O’Dowd, has written to the chief executive of . . . Complete story »
Councillors say ‘no’ to 15 turbine wind farm
Concern was expressed at a meeting of the council’s planning committee on Thursday (August 4) over potential “negative impact on tourism”. The Department for Infrastructure is consulting with the borough council over a planning application submitted by Larne-based company Renewable Energy Systems (RES) based at Millbrook, the same company that is behind a proposal for Ballygilbert Wind Farm outside Ballygally. The Unshinagh Wind Farm will be located five miles south west of Carnlough and five miles west of Glenarm in . . . Complete story »
County Derry residents anger over wind farm plans
A group of County Derry residents have hit out at plans to dramatically redevelop a number of wind turbines at a nearby wind farm. Rigged Hill wind farm is situated in the Drumsurn ward and sits amid a triangle cornered off by Drumsurn, Limavady and Ballerin. Built in 1994 and run by Scottish Power Renewables, the site comprises 10 turbines generating up to five megawatts of renewable power. A line on the company’s website states that, in its current form, . . . Complete story »
Planning permission sought for a 14-turbine wind farm near Carnlough
A planning application has been submitted to the Department for Infrastructure for the construction of a 14-turbine wind farm on the Antrim Coast. The project is being developed by Larne-based company Renewable Energy Systems (RES) based at Millbrook, the same company that is behind a proposal for Ballygilbert Wind Farm outside Ballygally. The Unshinagh Wind Farm will be located four kilometres west of Carnlough in the townlands of Drumourne Unshinagh Mountain, if it is given the go-ahead. RES says that . . . Complete story »
Council spent almost £1m to date in legal battle over huge wind turbine beside ancient site
A Northern Ireland council has already spent almost £1m in an ongoing legal battle with a government department. Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council last year launched legal action against the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in relation to issues around the erection of a wind turbine at a historic site in Co Down. The Sunday Independent has learned the council has so far paid £940,000 in legal costs in connection with the case. A Stormont committee which oversees the . . . Complete story »
Protest calls for removal of turbine from 5,000-year-old burial site
A group demanding the removal of a controversial wind turbine from the site of a 5000-year-old protected burial site, has staged a protest this afternoon, utilising an ancient Irish trumpet. The hill, at Knockiveagh near Rathfriland in Co Down, was also used as an inauguration site for local kings thousands of years ago. It has commanding views of the surrounding area, including the Mourne Mountains. Planning permission was granted for the turbine even though the Stone Age burial cairn on . . . Complete story »
Nichola Mallon urged to reject wind turbine plan in Mournes that could power 27,000 homes
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has been urged to make a decision on a controversial Co Down wind farm first proposed seven years ago. The proposed wind farm, close to the village of Hilltown near Newry, has divided opinion in the area. Opponents of the plan, including mountaineer Dawson Stelfox, said it has drawn more than 4,000 objections and urged the Minister to reject the application without the expense of a public inquiry. ABO Wind, a German company, first applied in . . . Complete story »
‘Late’ windfarm objections prompt calls for planning rules overhaul
Council planners are seeking action from Stormont over last minute objections that are clogging up the system. The committee of elected representatives that approves or rejects major development proposals wrote to DfI minister Nicola Mallon asking her to urgently consider a rule change. The move came after ‘late’ objections to a major windfarm redevelopment prevented the committee from reaching a decision. Planning officers had recommended approving a proposal from Scottish Power to ‘re-power the Rigged Hill site when it came . . . Complete story »
Covid-19: About half of wind turbine support not repaid
About half the Covid-19 support funds given to wind turbine owners in Northern Ireland have not yet been paid back. Fifty-two wind turbine owners received emergency £10,000 grants last year. The sector was subsequently ruled ineligible by the Department for the Economy (DfE) and it said it would try to recover the money. A new Audit Office report said “just over half” had been recovered and DfE is working to recover the rest. The report found that almost £245m was . . . Complete story »
