Refusal recommendation for proposed Mayo windfarm

PLANNERS in Mayo have recommended that permission for the proposed Muingmore Windfarm be refused.

The 13-turbine project in north Mayo is on unsuitable lands, a report that will be going up to An Coimisiún Pleanála has found.

Details of the report were presented by senior planner John McMyler at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council.

Local concern was also highlighted by both Councillor Gerry Coyle and Councillor Sean Carey who said 251 submissions objecting to the windfarm have been submitted to the planning board.

Mr. McMyler told members how detailed pre-planning discussions had taken place with the developer back in 2023 when they were advised of the council's opinion.

There were issues around grid connection and roads infrastructure, as well as the landscape and visual impact. Under their renewable strategy, the recommendation was that the lands are unsuitable.

Councillor Harry Barrett asked why engage in the planning process when policies they adopt are brushed aside.

Twelve European protected sites were identified in the report, he noted, highlighting the need to protect peatlands.

He was also concerned about the separate application for an electricity connection to Bellacorick. The windfarm and its grid connection were part of the one overall project and and should be assessed together, he said.

Supporting renewable energy did not mean supporting every windfarm in every location. There has to be limits and they should not have to accept industrial scale development so national targets can be met.

Councillor Coyle said multi-nationals arrive into small communities with the best brains in the world behind them, with communities given weeks to reply to their proposals, which they might have been planning for 10 years or longer.

The recommendation to refuse was also welcomed by Councillor Carey who noted the proposal goes against the county development plan.

Saying he hopes the coimisíún listens to them, Councillor Michael Loftus spoke of the profits operators are making, with communities seeing little benefit. The government is funding and paying for turbines when they are not running, he said, yet the community doesn't get any money.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme