This article is from page 9 of the 2008-01-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
CLARE County Council has reject- ed plans for a €10 million windfarm between the east Clare villages of Tulla and Feakle, close to the setting for one of the most celebrated poems in Irish literature.
The proposal by Ventus Energy sought to develop eight turbines in the vicinity of Lough Graney to sup- ply electricity to 22,000 homes.
The lake was the literary backdrop for Brian Merriman’s epic poem, ‘The Midnight Court’, which was written in 1780.
As part of the plan, the developers sought to remove 425 acres of forest ele lelOee
However, the plan encountered widespread opposition across the east Clare area and the Department of the Environment also expressed concern.
Ironically, it is the designation of a large tract of land on Slieve Aughty as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds — being opposed by local farmers and landowners — which in part led to the council refusing plan- ning permission for the proposal.
The council refused planning per- mission as it had concerns over the impact the development would have on the hen harrier, particularly in light of the designation of the area as an SPA.
The Clare County Development Plan goes against granting planning permission in areas that are likely to have significant adverse ecological impacts.
The council also stated that the pro- posed development had the potential to have a serious ecological impact on the SPA by virtue of the proposed removal of an extensive expanse of trees and the disturbance and loss to natural habitats.
In one objection, the Centre for Environmental Living and Train- ing (CELT) claimed that houses and farm prices in the vicinity of the wind farm would drop by 20 per cent.
The plan was also opposed by a eroup of east Clare-based artists, including Aosdana member, Joe Comerford who pointed out that the county planners had worked for many years to protect the landscape heritage of east Clare with good rea- son. The group sais they hoped this precious resource would not be dis- carded so easily.
In a separate objection, Mairin Kel- ly pointed out that “the cumulative effect of the turbines in combination with the existing communications mast on Maghera would be to alter the landscape character from remote upland to semi-industrial”.
The developers now have the op- tion of appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanala.