Plans for wind farm on Tipperary-Offaly border resubmitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála
A planning application for a controversial wind farm on the Tipperary-Offaly border has been resubmitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
RWE Renewables Ireland Limited has re-applied to An Coimisiún Pleanála for permission to develop an 11-turbine project near Shinrone in Tipperary and Birr in Offaly.
The proposed Ballincor Wind Farm is expected to generate 222,591 megawatt hours of electricity annually – enough to power up to 45,000 homes.
The company had previously lodged and then withdrawn their planning application with the planning appeals board.
The project has been met with opposition from local residents, and the resubmission of the planning application has prompted a public meeting to discuss a community submission to the board.
The application was made directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála as the proposal was considered a strategic infrastructure development, which can bypass the council’s planning section and go straight to the national planning board.
According to planning files, Ballincor Wind Farm would be situated on lands in both Tipperary and Offaly that were deemed unsuitable for new wind farm developments by both county councils.
However, an agent for RWE Renewables said that while strategic infrastructure developments can be considered according to county development plans, An Coimisiún Pleanála is “not required to make decisions that are consistent with it,” and can grant planning permission even if the development contravenes the local county development plan.
A section of Tipperary County Council’s development plan says that wind farm developments can be considered for land that is deemed unsuitable on a case-by-case basis, as long as they comply with the policies and development management standards set out in the council’s wind energy strategy.
It is not known why RWE withdrew the first planning application, but the new plans are now before An Coimisiún Pleanála inspectors to make a decision.
The land for the proposed wind farm is currently used as agricultural land, forestry and cutaway bog, which could continue even with a wind farm on the site, the applicants said.
In light of the company’s decision to resubmit the plans, the Greater Birr Wind Action Group have arranged a public meeting to discuss a community submission.
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 12 at 8pm in Ballyegan Hall in Birr.
An Coimisiún Pleanála is due to decide on the planning application by April 22, 2027.