OPPOSITION is mounting to plans for more wind farms in West Cork after a major project near Bantry Bay was cleared to bypass Cork County Council’s planning process.

Enerco Energy Limited wants to erect 14 wind turbines up to 169m in height at Maughanaclea.

An Coimisiún Pleanála has now marked the plans as a Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID), meaning the application does not have to go through usual planning stages.

Campaigners said the scheme would have a negative impact on the Maughanaclea hills and rural communities at Kealkill, Coomclogh, Cousane and the Mealagh Valley.

Noëlle Aller Antalba, spokesperson for grassroots campaign group Stop The Spin, said there was strong opposition to the wind farm.

‘The sheer scale of this proposal - 14 turbines, each with a tip height of 169 metres - is already giving rise to very significant concern. By way of comparison, each turbine would be roughly 22 metres taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza.’

She stressed that the Coimisiún’s designation did not mean that planning permission was granted, or that it represented any approval of the wind farm itself.

She added: ‘What it means in practice is that any planning application for the project will be made directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála, bypassing Cork County Council.

‘At present, no formal planning application, Environmental Impact Assessment Report or Natura Impact Statement has been lodged and therefore, the impacts of the proposal have not yet been assessed in the statutory planning process.’

Meanwhile, an appeal has been lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála against three 156metrehigh turbines in the area between Gougane Barra and Ballingeary. The appeal highlights the strong objection to the turbines near the historically significant site, which includes St Finbarr’s Oratory.

Last month, Cork County Council approved Wingleaf Ltd’s Curraglass Wind Farm subject to strict conditions: resurfacing roads before construction, noise controls, as well as protections for the Kerry Slug, bats and local bird species.

The An Coimisiún Pleanála appeal against the council’s decision is to be decided by May 25th 2026.

Mrs Aller Ontalba said the community was ‘battling to keep that iconic and holy place away from the jaws of industrial wind farm developers’.

She added: ‘The proposed wind farm sits immediately adjacent to the Gougane Barra valley, an area of unparalleled natural beauty and cultural heritage in West Cork. This landscape, with its tranquil lake, ancient church of St Finbarr’s Oratory and surrounding mountains, is a great symbol of Ireland’s scenic heritage.’

She added: ‘West Cork’s rural communities will continue the fight to protect the tranquility, scenic beauty and heritage of our lands.’

More than 50 submissions were made to the recent Wingleaf application, with many arguing that West Cork may have reached a ‘tipping point’ for such developments.

A representative of the Gougane Barra Hotel also raised fears about potential impacts on tourism.

Enerco Energy spokesman Padraig Quille said: ‘We are progressing environmental assessments and technical studies.

Subject to completion of this work, we expect the application to be lodged before the end of March.’