Riverstown wind farm gets go ahead after appeal rejected by An Coimisiún Pleanála

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

An Coimisiún Pleanála has granted planning permission for a wind farm at Riverstown, Gorteen, Co. Sligo.

An application by Riverstown Locally Owned Turbine Limited had originally been lodged with Sligo County Council in October 2023 for the development of a renewable wind energy development of a one turbine wind farm. The development will comprise of one electricity generating wind turbine, which will have an overall maximum tip height of 180 meters, comprising a tower of nominally 112 meters high, and rotor diameter of up to 136 meters. The development will consist of permanent access tracks, hardstandings, an electrical substation building, an underground cable trench and ancillary site works. The maximum output capacity of the wind farm will be circa 3.5mw.

The application was approved by Sligo County Council in 2024 but that decision was appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála by Tony Murray, Kilshalvey, Gurteen. Mr Murray’s submission which included signatures from 20 individuals supporting him, argued, “This project is being portrayed as locally owned, with all profits returned to local owners. There is no information as to the identity of the local owners or how locals may qualify to be owners.

"Riverstown Locally Owned Turbine Limited is a company registered in May 2023 with a registered address in Cork. There has been no prior consultation with residents in the area.”

In its report An Coimisiún Pleanála stated, “The proposed development would be in accordance with European, national, and regional renewable energy policies and with the provisions of the Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030, would not have an unacceptable impact on the landscape and visual amenities of the area, the biodiversity of the area, geology and soil of the area, the water environment of the area, the residential amenities of the area, would not adversely affect the archaeological and cultural heritage of the area and would be acceptable in terms of traffic and road capacity and traffic safety, and would facilitate the generation of electricity to the national grid by means of renewable energy. The proposed development would, therefore, be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.