Chamber urges public to make submissions before north Mayo wind farm deadline

MEMBERS of the public have four days left to lodge observations on the proposed Muingmore Wind Farm before the closing date set by An Coimisiún Pleanála, with the president of Erris Chamber of Commerce calling on people across Mayo to engage with the process before it closes.

The deadline for submissions on the project, listed under case reference PAX16.324387, is 5.30 p.m. on Friday, August 7. Observations can be lodged online at www.pleanala.ie, and the case reference number should be quoted in any submission made.

Brian Bakeberg, president of Erris Chamber of Commerce, said the scale of the proposed development meant it was important for the process to be informed by as wide a range of views as possible before a decision is made.

“This is a decision that will shape the landscape, environment and communities of north Mayo for generations,” Mr. Bakeberg said. “A planning process like this only works properly when people take the time to engage with it, whatever their view on the project. It only costs €50 and takes a few minutes to make a submission, but once the deadline passes on Friday, that opportunity is gone.”

Applications of this scale are decided directly by An Coimisiún Pleanála, the State’s national planning body, rather than by the local authority. The commission was formally established in June 2025, replacing An Bord Pleanála, and continues to operate the same public observation process for major planning applications, including those relating to energy infrastructure such as wind farms.

The scale of the proposed development has drawn attention locally, with images circulating in recent days showing the turbines planned for the Muingmore site would stand as tall as 180 metres - almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty, which measures 93 metres from base to torch.

Under that process, any member of the public can make a written submission on a case within the statutory timeframe, setting out their views on the proposal for consideration by the planning commissioner assigned to it. Submissions can address any aspect of the development, including its visual, environmental, ecological or community impact, as well as questions of planning policy.

Mr. Bakeberg said the Chamber was not directing people towards a particular position on the wind farm, but wanted to ensure that the level of public interest in the case was properly reflected in the number of submissions received before the file closes.

“Erris has always been a place that people fight for, and this case is no different,” he said. “Whether people oppose it, or simply have questions about it, the only way that gets recorded and considered as part of this process is through a submission. I’d encourage anyone with a view - resident, business owner or otherwise - to take the time before Friday.”

He added that the Chamber regularly encourages engagement with planning and public consultation processes that affect the wider Erris area, given the scale of change already under way across the region.

“We represent businesses and communities right across Erris, and we know from experience that decisions like this one have knock-on effects for years afterwards - for tourism, for local employment, and for how people feel about the place they live,” Mr. Bakeberg said. “None of that is a reason to take one side or the other. It’s a reason to make sure the process hears from as many people as possible before it closes.”

Separately, Rural West Environmentalists Limited, a local environmental group active on planning matters in the Erris and north Mayo area, has also been engaging with the case and has prepared material for members of the public who wish to make a submission but are unsure how to go about it.

Anyone wishing to make a submission on the Muingmore Wind Farm application can do so online at www.pleanala.ie, quoting case code PAX16.324387, before the deadline of 5.30 p.m. on Friday next. Further guidance on the application and the submission process is also available through An Coimisiún Pleanála’s website. Or contact Brian Bakeberg at the chamber - brian@errischamber.ie - for guidance and support.