Neighbours have complained for years about 'unbearable noise' at Offaly wind farm

A FREEDOM of Information (FOI) request has revealed that people living in the vicinity of a wind farm in Offaly have been complaining about “unbearable noise” coming from the wind turbines for years.

The Meenwaun Wind Farm is located between Birr and Banagher near the Taylor's Cross area and features four giant turbines.

Speaking to the Tribune this week, a spokesperson from the Community Environmental Protection Alliance (CEPA), said she made the FOI request to Offaly County Council.

She pointed out that Meenwaun has been operating since January 2018 “and since then, the noise has been unbearable for its neighbours.”

FOI showed that from the moment it started operating, the Wind Farm caused complaints of loud noise. The Offaly County Council Environment Section engaged with the owners, requesting an explanation, details, and so on.

Wind Farm planning compliance noise monitoring was carried out from February 6, 2018 to May 8, 2018. During this period the neighbours emailed the Council to point out that the turbines had been turned off during the noise monitoring period. They also pointed out that no noise monitoring was being carried out at the nearest dwelling to the wind farm. The Council therefore hired an independent company to carry out a noise monitoring survey. This company submitted its conclusions in September, which pointed out a number of Noise Compliance issues with the wind farm.

Throughout the following months the neighbours continued to complain about the noise levels. The Council continued to engage with them. In September 2019 the Council told the residents it had appointed an independent consultant to carry out an assessment of the wind farm. During this period the Council said its requests for the turbines to be shut down for one hour periods, between 2am and 3am, weren't complied with.

Throughout 2020 the residents continued complaining about the noise levels. In February 2020 the Council's independent consultant issued its report which stated that the wind farm was not compliant with a planning condition. In May or June the Council met with the owners of the wind farm. Four months later the residents complained that they had still not heard the outcome of that meeting between the Council and the owners.

“We are extremely concerned about the length of time it is taking to relieve us of the nuisance created by these turbines,” the residents wrote.

In October 2020 the Council sent a letter to the residents advising them to discontinue sending complaints to the Environment Section, and to instead direct their complaints to the Planning Office (enforcement).

Throughout 2021 the wind farm neighbours continued to complain of “unreasonable noise” and repeatedly requested a report from the independent consultant that had been hired by the Council in October 2019. The neighbours said they were “unable to leave our windows open with the noise from the turbines.”

Throughout 2022, 2023 and 2024 the neighbours continued to complain of the noise levels.

In October 2024 the Environmental Section of the Council closed the complaint log opened in January 2018.

In January 2025 the residents were told that because the wind farm had been operating for more than seven years, the development was now statute barred and it would be difficult for the Council to issue enforcement proceedings.

The CEPA spokesperson, speaking to the Tribune, criticised the Council for inadequately responding to the residents' complaints. “Since the turbines became operational in January 2018,” she said, “local residents have endured relentless and unbearable noise - disrupting sleep, affecting wellbeing, and damaging quality of life. Despite years of complaints, independent reports, and technical evidence confirming breaches of planning conditions, meaningful enforcement action has not been taken. The documents reveal a troubling pattern: delayed monitoring, dismissed complaints, the owners failing to comply with baseline noise testing, and a lack of transparency in sharing findings with residents. Ultimately, in October 2024, the Council closed the environmental complaint log - without resolution.”

The CEPA spokesperson said this is a “breach of public trust” and the people of Meenwaun “have been left voiceless, when they did nothing to deserve this."

She said the Council made a mistake when it limited its investigation to planning compliance. “As affirmed in the High Court cases, nuisance is not limited to compliance with planning conditions. The health implications are real and ongoing for the community. Sadly, Meenwaun is not an isolated case. We will be releasing further records, equally worrisome in the near future."