Site notices for eleven mega turbines go up in Birr area
Locals have until June 12 to lodge objection
Site notices for a wind farm of 11 mega turbines have gone up in the Birr area, which has caused upset and anger among locals.
The Greater Birr Wind Action Group says it now has until June 12 next to place its submissions of opposition to the farm. It said a public meeting about the issue will be held in the near future.
THE Greater Birr Wind Action Group was formed a few months ago to fight the proposed development of this Wind Farm to the south of Birr.
The Group intends to lodge an objection, but to do this in a meaningful way, it needs to raise funds. “Any donation small or large will be truly appreciated,” they say. They have set up an idonate account and have so far raised €13,235 of a target of €16,000.
“In recent years the Birr area has become a focal point for international wind developers,” the Group says, with seven wind farms totalling 72 industrial turbines already granted permission or operating around the town. The Ballincor Wind farm, in the Sharavogue area, will entail the construction of 11 mega turbines.
At the forefront of the Group’s concerns is the fact that this area has been designated as not suitable in the County Development Plan and it is too close to protected European habitats (the Brosna River and Sharavogue Bog).
“An 11-turbine wind farm is not simply a collection of turbines placed quietly in fields,” they remark. “It is in fact a major civil engineering project, involving extensive ground excavation, kilometres of internal roads, crane hardstands, deep concrete foundations, drainage works, cabling trenches, substations and compounds. The construction phase typically lasts up to 18 months, sometimes longer.”
The Group says that independent estimates based on Irish Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs) suggest that a development of this scale typically involves the excavation and re-handling of over 250,000 tonnes of peat and mineral material, alongside the importation of more than 120,000 tonnes of construction materials. “This will result in thousands of HGV movements on public roads, impacting residents commuting to work, parents on school runs, farmers moving livestock and local businesses relying on access. Wind Farm works of this nature typically result in road closures, delays, noise, vibration and increased safety risks.”
The Group says there will also be significant visual impact, given the size of the structures proposed are approximately 185m (600ft) from ground to tip height. “There will be visual disturbance from miles away,” they remark.
They add that, “perhaps most importantly”, Ballincor is not just about Ballincor, as it will set a precedent if given the go-ahead. “If a development of this scale proceeds adjacent to a protected bog, with significant construction impacts and reliance on developer-led mitigation, it shapes expectations for future proposals elsewhere in the region. Planning decisions accumulate, and each one alters the baseline against which the next is judged.
“None of this is an argument against renewable energy. Climate action is essential. But climate action that undermines environmental protection, landscape value, community trust and regional infrastructure is not sustainable.
“This is why we are encouraging people across the region to engage, ask questions and inform themselves. If you are interested, want to help, or want to know more, join the Greater Birr Wind Action Group on Facebook which is updated regularly.”
The news of the Ballincor site notices being erected follows shortly on after a planning application was submitted for a proposed 15-turbine Wind Farm in Lemanaghan, Offaly, in response to which news the Lemanaghan Bog Heritage Group expressed their “serious concern and frustration”.