Group warns of wind farm deadline
Stock image of wind turbines in Ireland, aerial view. Image: iStock/aluxum
CAMPAIGNERS against a proposed wind farm on the slopes of Mount Leinster say south Carlow is still under threat, despite planning refusals at both county and national level.
The group Save Mount Leinster is urging people who objected previously to act quickly, with a 5.30pm deadline on Monday, 1 September, for resubmissions to An Coimisiún Pleanála (formerly An Bord Pleanála).
Spokesperson Joe Kirwan said the long-running process has worn down local communities: “It’s legal teams and big business against little communities.”
The development, by FuturEnergy (formerly Coillte), would see seven turbines, each 178 metres high, built near the popular 'Nine Stones' viewpoint and adjacent to a Special Area of Conservation.
To put the scale in perspective, the existing RTÉ transmitter mast on Mount Leinster stands at 122 metres, and the turbines would be more than a third higher.
A FuturEnergy spokesperson told
: “The planning submission for Croaghaun Wind Farm is currently with An Coimisiún Pleanála. As this project is in the planning system, we are unable to comment on details of this renewable energy project.” “The proposed Croaghaun Wind Farm comprises seven turbines located south of Myshall and Kildavin. It has the potential to generate approximately 38.5MW of clean renewable electricity capable of powering approximately 25,500 Irish homes annually,” they added.
Carlow County Council initially refused the project in 2021, citing its impact on protected habitats and biodiversity including bats and the merlin bird of prey as well as the strain on narrow mountain roads. An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld that decision, but following a High Court challenge, the case has been sent back for a fresh inspector’s report.
“Over a hundred observations went into An Coimisiún Pleanála the last time. So, everyone that did that got a letter … What has happened in the meantime is that a lot of people who didn’t lodge an observation assume planning permission has been refused and that the matter is over,” said Mr Kirwan.
Mr Kirwan warned that the development could have serious consequences.
“For people that are living near the proposed site, I believe it would (have) a significant bad effect for them.”
He added: “I think there are a lot better things to do up on the Blackstairs than put seven turbines on it.”
Campaign member Cornelia McCarthy said Mount Leinster represents one of Ireland’s last wild places.
“In a time of biodiversity crisis, we actually are destroying what we are supposed to be protecting with this whole renewable drive,” she said.
Save Mount Leinster says almost 300 objections were lodged with Carlow County Council in 2021, and more than 120 groups and individuals went on to submit to An Coimisiún Pleanála. In addition, over 3,600 people have signed the group’s Uplift campaign petition opposing the project.
The scale of construction also alarms campaigners. During the build, it is estimated that more than 25,000 tonnes of concrete would have to be hauled up narrow mountain roads for the turbine bases alone – enough to cover three Croke Park pitches a foot deep – before any substation or further works are included.
In a submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála last month, Carlow County Council stressed that the county has already granted permission for around 375MW of renewable energy capacity since 2022, which is nearly three times its 2030 target.
Save Mount Leinster argues this proves the proposed turbines are not needed to meet climate goals, while the risks to landscape, biodiversity and tourism are severe.
Mr Kirwan also questioned whether the project would stop at seven turbines, suggesting the level of infrastructure pointed towards future expansion.
The campaign has drawn backing from national organisations including the Irish Wildlife Trust, National Parks and Wildlife, Mountaineering Ireland and the Irish Hang-Gliding and Paragliding Association, which have all made submissions against the proposal.
Anyone who lodged an objection during the original planning process is entitled to submit again before 1 September.
Save Mount Leinster has published a template letter on its website and is also inviting wider support through petitions and direct contact with Carlow County Council.
As the deadline approaches, the group says the future of the Blackstairs landscape remains in the balance.
