This article is from page 6 of the 2014-09-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
BILLIONAIRE tycoon Donald Trump remained true to his promise to object to a nine turbine windfarm in the vicinity of his golf links and hotel in Doonbeg, when he lodged an 11th hour objection.
The owner of the Trump International Golf Links Ireland is one of 42 objectors in total, with the majority of the objections coming from local people and environmentalists.
Jim Hughes, Cunnane Stratton Reynolds, Copley Hall, Cotters Street, Cork, lodged the 16-page objection on behalf of Trump International Golf Links Ireland (TIGL) Ireland Enterprises Ltd.
Included in the objection is a detailed 40-page Observation Report carried out by Creagh House Environmental Limited.
The essence of the objection suggests that the second attempt by Clare Coastal Wind Power Ltd to build the windfarm just four kilometres from the golf resort in Doonbeg, will “have a signif cant negative impact on tourism”.
Clare Coastal Wind Power Ltd has applied for a 10-year planning application that would allow nine electricity-generating wind turbines of up to 126 metres in height to be built in Carrowmore South, Einagh and Shragh, two kilometres south of Doonbeg village.
According to the Trump objection; “The resort primarily relies on bookings from the international and in particular the North American market and a reduction in bookings as a consequence of the visual impact from the proposed development will have a serious negative impact on tourism in the area.”
The consultants commissioned by the Trump company go on to say; “The resort provides signif cant di – rect and indirect employment and represents an investment of € 150 million in the area, which will generate the same again in additional indirect tourism investment, giving an estimated total tourism investment of up to € 300 million along the West Clare coast and surrounding area.
“A loss of business at Doonbeg Golf Resort will have a direct impact on employment at the resort and also the surrounding area where many supporting tourist related businesses have emerged and thrived in the past 10 years,” they claim.
The objection also questioned the impact of the development on the local environment, stating there is a lack of appropriate f eldwork carried out to establish the impact.
It also states there “is an absence of any material commentary on the potential effects of a simultaneous construction of a Tullabrack windfarm and a Shragh windfarm.”
The Irish Peatland Conservation Council, with a base at Lullymore, Rathangan, Co Kildare, also raised concerns about the proposal on the West coast.
In its submission Tadhg O’Corcora, Conservation Off cer, said that while the IPCC recognises the importance of increasing the renewable energy sector as part of international efforts to combat climate change, it could not support the proposed development in Doonbeg as it would result in the destruction of “a mosaic of peatland habitats and its associated wildlife.”