Largest inshore windfarm proposed for Finn Valley

md23040

http://donegalnews.com/2015/02/plans-for-giant-finn-valley-wind-farm-being-submitted-this-week/

This thread is not put onto boards as a sense of Nimbyism - but the Finn Valley already has the largest wind farm in Ireland at 84Mw in Meentycat, and it is astonishing and short sighted of government to propose a larger development in the same area at 105Mw. The worst fact is that this planned development seems to have come through the back door, with the local community having little knowledge of plans until the late stages.

The company behind this Planree Ltd from Cork have tried previously to get planning in Cork were there are now severe restrictions by comparison to Donegal.

Donegal's countryside IMO has been destroyed over the last twenty years by poor house planning and one off development, and stringent new planning is a case of closing the door after the horse has bolted, but still welcome nonetheless. Now the county seems to be the hotbed for these types of eyesore developments that are a greater blight on the landscape, and threatened further what's left of the rural beauty of the county.

This thread has not been setup to debate whether wind is the way forward for Ireland, should the development be offshore, or are tidal turbines (as focused on by the UK) a better more reliable means of generating assured electricity that does not need to rely of the vagrancies of nature (i.e. wind to work) - these can all be debated in some other forum.

This one however is to keep people informed about what is happening, what objections are being put forward, how can people get involved, and to know peoples view on whether this is a good thing or not. My views have been made clear.

alchemist33

I don't think they're eyesores at all. Okay, they're not natural, but I've never looked at a windfarm and thought it ruined the area it was in.

md23040

alchemist33 wrote: »

I don't think they're eyesores at all. Okay, they're not natural, but I've never looked at a windfarm and thought it ruined the area it was in.

This is grand in an isolated bleak environment but both sides of the Finn Valley will have wind turbines and Ballybofey/Stranorlar will be surrounded by the two largest wind farms by Mw generation on the island.

Also to get it into context this proposed development are super turbines that reach a colossal height of 516 feet (by comparison Meentycat is 260 feet), and the trend is only going to become larger with the Mw output that provides better returns on investment for the companies concerned.

These are much greater in size compared to anything else in Ireland presently and that's going to be the new trend in these monstrosities' - which is only going to go one way..

Iwernia

I don't know what all the fuss is about either, my first route for any cycle I go on would be up in to the middle of any wind farm. I don't see them as an eyesore at all.

md23040

Iwernia wrote: »

I don't know what all the fuss is about either,

Okay - WOW : so over fifty one turbines in a rural area of natural beauty (not withstanding the issues of people living close to such super turbines), which are 118 feet taller than the spire in Dublin or just over 50% of the height of the Shard skyscraper in London is not a fuss - then from a planning point of view its hard for me to comprehend what a fuss would therefore constitute.

Here's a photo of the Spire that only spans to 398 feet, so add on another 20% for good measure and multiple by 51 then to get an understanding of the impact for those living in its shadow/vicinity.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Where is the new wind farm proposed for? I can see meentycat (and Cark) from my house and cycle past them regularly. I dont mind them to be honest. It's a pretty isolated area and fit for nothing else really.

4068ac1elhodqr

Isn't tidal energy the new green?
A non-stop service too (as long as the moon keeps circling).

muffler

md23040 wrote: »

The worst fact is that this planned development seems to have come through the back door, with the local community having little knowledge of plans until the late stages.

Can you elaborate on this statement please

md23040

muffler wrote: »

Can you elaborate on this statement please

The local community were unaware of any development of this scale until the 12th of December when it first broke through media sources. Being so close to Christmas it would be near impossible to mobilise support in the local community - so did timing of the fourteen week countdown to objection play a part. The cynical in me would think so. Here's the list of applications and choreography

http://www.carrickaduffwindfarm.com/Planning.htm

Lets be clear the company did nothing illegal in any of its actions, but the process has a certain lack of transparency, and this is what has angered the community, in terms of these are nearly fait accompli whenever the community gets to hear about them and are very hush hush up until the last minute.

The company issued two planning notices with a local and national paper on the 29th of January, under Strategic Infrastructure development, and up to that date had all their ducks in a row as far as consent from landowners, detailed plans submitted, environmental impact statement (EIS) and a natural impact statement (NIS) etc. As well as no doubt strategised for months in advance on how to handle objections etc.

The local community have until the 27th of March to put forward constructive objection and lodge their legitimate complaints for refusal with An Bord Pleanala. To me the company may have fully complied with the law, but that does not mean the law is right in the terms of such a large scale development , again, allowing only fourteen weeks to issue reasonable grounds of objection (and first four weeks really being dead to the public).

To mobilise support in a community can be difficult given peoples general apathy to getting involved, but thanks to the six politicians (whom we know all blow with the local sentiment) there has been strong support from the community and cohesion.

The headline in the Donegal News of the 12th of December would suggest no one had an iota of this development apart from the vested interests - Headline - "Details emerge of huge new Finn Valley wind farm"

My gripe is the economies of scale with these being over half the height of the Shard in London, how far will companies push the boundaries of aesthetic design in the interests of achieving greater returns on their investments. It could cost the community up to €100,000 to fight this development, if necessary in the High Court, as has been the case in other area's of the country like Roscommon etc. Below is the size of the turbine by comparison to other well known Irish landmarks.



edit add/on The smallest building is Croke Park, the next is the tallest building in the Republic of Ireland -Elysium.

Also there is a Finn Valley Action Group Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Finn-Valley-Wind-Action/1416670088630536

And there is a similar one in Tyrone - https://www.facebook.com/WestTyroneAgainstTurbines?fref=photo

Finally, my views are those of a concerned citizen only, not involved in this objection in any activist way, and do not necessarily agree with some of the sentiment of the Facebook pages etc, as propaganda is not solely exclusive to one side only.




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yourpics

I think wind turbines look great and are in no way an eyesore. They look much better than one-off houses etc. The wind farm roads are bunded and landscaped so from most vantage points they cannot be seen.

Wind farms are an excellent use of land that otherwise has little use. Other uses typically include sheep grazing, turf cutting and forestry. The land can still be grazed and turf can still be extracted. The road network created through the land is useful for the landowner, walkers and cyclists.

Donegal has huge unemployment, a wind farm development will bring substantial numbers of jobs during the construction phase and a few jobs during the lifetime of the windfarm.
I, for one, would love to see a windfarm built in my area or any area of this county.

water-man

I too think wind turbines look well in the landscape and welcome this development.

I know of at least 5 lads working in the wind farm out side Ballybofey and if it wasn't for that development they would no doubt have had to leave home and work in Dublin/Galway/abroad.

Their will be jobs create during the building phase and at least a few jobs after and this I very much welcome.

WM

water-man

Forgot to say:

I was very disappointed to see the St. Patrick's day parade in the Twin Towns used to make a political statement.

This development has nothing to do with St. Patrick's day and organizers should not have allowed it in the parade.

WM

yourpics

Forgot to say I would much rather live in the vicinity of a windfarm that say a landfill or knackery or industrial premises which may produce noise or environmental pollution.

Penfailed

md23040 wrote: »

My views have been made clear.

...and seem to fly in the face of general opinion on this thread. I'm another person that doesn't mind wind turbines.

overshoot

Penfailed wrote: »

...and seem to fly in the face of general opinion on this thread. I'm another person that doesn't mind wind turbines.

agreed

and on the 100,000 to fight it in the high court, the high court will only overturn an an bord pleanala decision on a error of law. U said there is nothing illegal so why consider wasting the money?
It still hadnt gone in for planning by Dec 12th either, its like every person who wants their house, they want it ready for the new year. Its hardly a big conspiracy

object to an bord pleanala as is your right, it is what it is there for.