‘Never seen anything so divisive’ – Galway TD and two municipal districts make submissions in relation to ‘shocking’ wind farm proposal
Two Galway municipal districts and a local TD are among the formal submissions made in relation to a proposed wind farm in a rural part of the county.
Tuam and Ballinasloe municipal districts made the submissions in relation to a major wind farm development at Cooloo Co Galway, encompassing Cloondahamper, Cloonascragh, Elmhill, Cooloo, Lecarrow, Dangan Eighter, Lissavally and Slievegorm.
The submissions raise concerns that the proposed turbines are “not keeping with the landscape sensitivity of the area” and warn of potential damage to local road infrastructure from the transport of heavy machinery through rural roads.
While workshops on the proposal were held in both districts on December 11, councillors expressed ongoing concern about the absence of submissions being published for public viewing on the project’s dedicated website.
Tuam councillor Mary Hoade read the submission at a December meeting of Galway County Council, stating that she understood there to be approximately 160 submissions received to date.
A submission from Galway East TD Louis O’Hara, which is publicly available on An Coimisiún Pleanála’s website, urges the board to consider the “absence of up-to-date statutory planning guidelines in relation to wind energy developments.”
Deputy O’Hara also highlighted complaints from constituents regarding what he described as a lack of public consultation and noted the significant volume of submissions already made on the application.
Ballinasloe councillor Michael Connelly, who hails from the area adjacent to the proposed development, raised particular concerns about the siting of turbines six, seven and eight.
According to the planner’s report, turbines six and seven are in areas assessed as posing a “negligible risk” due to their proximity to peat bogs, following a Peat Stability Risk Assessment. The report states that the “construction phase will incorporate robust peat stability management measures and industry standard construction methods to ensure that no peat failures occur on site.”
However, the report’s conclusion notes that the location of these turbines has been “designated generally to be discouraged.”
The proposed site, which straddles the boundary between the two municipal districts, is located approximately 11km southeast of Tuam and would comprise nine wind turbines, each standing 180 metres tall. The report states that evidentiary data deems the site suitable for such a development.
“I have never seen anything so divisive,” cathaoirleach of Ballinasloe Municipal Districtt Cllr Peter Keveany said. “What this has done to rural communities is shocking.”
Cllr Sean Cunniffe appealed to fellow councillors, warning that the lack of updated energy development legislation “leaves communities defenceless to these huge European organisations.”