Campaign against plans for a ‘cluster’ of wind turbine farms across West Cork steps up a gear and demands an urgent review of planning legislation and guidelines.

BY ELIZABETH LYNOTT

OUTDATED legislation is leaving the unspoilt rural landscape of West Cork at risk of ‘industrial scale’ wind farm developments, campaigners have warned.

There are already hundreds of wind turbines across the hillsides and concerns are mounting about sprawl as the scale of the structures gets increasingly taller.

One plan due to be lodged shortly outlines a proposal to construct turbines at almost 600ft which would threaten to overshadow Bantry bay.

There are currently four wind farm developments proposed across West Cork – either at pre-planning or planning stage, one now with the appeals board.

A fifth for Goulacullin near Bantry was withdrawn while a sixth for Cummeen was refused permission by Cork County Council.

Campaigner Ian Collins, from Bantry, told The Southern Star: ‘Once the wind turbines go up, there’s little people can do, regardless if they’re impacted by noise, or if they feel they spoil the landscape. Wind farms have driven lots of people from their homes.’

The granddad-of-four feels anxious the next generation could grow up in a rural Ireland ‘where their lives are blighted by the turbine developments’. ‘I’m devastated about what will happen to the world they’re inheriting,’ he added.

The former craftsman brought a judicial review against the ESB and An Bord Pleanála – now An Coimisiún Pleanála - in 2021 in relation to a proposed wind farm near Drimoleague. He won the case at the High Court.

At that time, Mr Collins said the ESB was ‘riding roughshod over people’s rights’ and he feels things are now going from bad to worse. He believes the majority of the energy from the turbines will be utilised to power data centres and not people’s homes.

Last year, data centres - used to power Artificial Intelligence - consumed 22% of Ireland’s electricity. During the same year, wind farms provided almost one-third of the country’s electricity, according to Wind Energy Ireland.

Professor of sustainable energy at UCC, Hannah Daly, carried out research in 2024, which found electricity demand from data centres has grown annually by almost 23%.

That report noted that between 2017 and 2023, all additional wind energy generation was absorbed by data centres. As a result ‘renewables are not delivering net reductions in fossil fuels use in power generation’ the study for Friends of the Earth stated.

‘Wind farms have not reduced our demand from fossil fuels at all,’ Mr Collins argued. ‘In fact, there’s been an increase in carbon emissions as a result.
A moratorium on wind farms powering data centres noted by Mr Collins was introduced in 2022 by EirGrid. It covers new grid connections in Dublin only due to
electricity capacity constraints and is in place until 2028

Threat of sprawl

Ian feels a rolling development of wind farms across rural Ireland will continue if planning laws are not updated to control sprawl.
‘There’s more money to be made putting the wind farms on the top of hills where there’s more wind,’ he said. ‘Our argument is they should be put in areas where they don’t damage the visual landscape.

‘West Cork is an area of outstanding natural beauty. That’s why people come here. That’s why tourists visit here. Letting the wind farms encroach on that area, is very short-sighted and very much against the long-term sustainability of the area.

‘Tourism is one of the main generators of income here, apart from agriculture. Otherwise, we have very few industries here to bring in money from outside.’

West Cork archaeologist Tony Miller pointed out the historic value of the vicinity, which he feels could be under threat of overdevelopment.

‘The Shehy Mountains, Mealagh and Maughanaclea areas contain one of the richest clusters of prehistoric monuments in Ireland, including wedge tombs and the Kealkill Stone Circle,’ he said. ‘These internationally significant sites will be overwhelmed, if industrialisation of the scale is allowed to proceed under outdated rules.’

Campaigners from the Stop The Spin group also fear the industrialisation of an area of natural beauty. They have concerns around potential health impacts - though there’s no concrete evidence of the turbines influencing health.

Enerco Energy - one of Ireland’s leading wind farm companies - is in consultation to apply for planning with An Coimisiún Pleanála for a Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) wind farm of at least 14 turbines, each up to 554ft high - two-and-a-half times taller than Cork’s Elysian building – in the Maughanaclea Hills close to Bantry and Kealkill.

Gortloughra

Nearby in Gortloughra, proposals are being developed for 574ft turbines by Statkraft. Cork County Council has already refused this application, but it’s now under appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

Another wind farm proposed is Derreenacrinnig West, with plans for the construction of three industrial-scale turbines, each rising to 492ft. This development would sit visually opposite the proposed Maughanaclea farm, creating what the group calls ‘an unacceptable clustering of giant turbines across the Mealagh Valley and surrounding uplands’.

Noelle Aller Ontabla, spokesperson for Stop the Spin, said:  ‘We’re not against renewable energy, that’s not it at all. But in 2006, when the guidelines were established, it was a completely different set of circumstances.

The lobby group wants to see the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines updated to take account of the fact that turbines have doubled in size since the regulations were
introduced.

‘The turbines were an awful lot smaller in 2006,’ Ms Aller Ontabla said. ‘But within the guidelines, there was no maximum size rule. And there were no minimum setback distances from homes.

‘We’re also concerned about noise and shadow flicker in people’s houses. Nothing [in legislation] addresses any of this. These guidelines will be 20 years old next year. Developers can currently use those outdated guidelines and build these industrial scale wind farms, never envisaged by those who put together the guidelines in 2006. With this broken system of outdated guidelines, communities are left defenceless.’

Mr Collins said he had originally believed the wind turbines were positive when consultants had visited the region three decades ago. ‘Farmers were asked if they would like to have a wind turbine on their land,’ he said.

‘They were offering people 1,500 punts.  And in those days, it was a lot of money and people’s ears pricked up. I felt at that time, it was a good idea, that we had a big resource of wind and to turn it into electrical energy, seemed like a no brainer.’
Now, with such huge demand for energy from data centres, he doesn’t believe wind farms match up with supply and this could, he feels, lead to turbine sprawl across rural Ireland.

System paralysed

Wind farm protester Annabel Seymour and her animals at her property in the Mealagh Valley, West Cork. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

Ms Aller Ontabla said: ‘Our Bantry community and many other communities are demanding action. Ireland’s planning system has been paralysed by Government delay. For over a decade, ministers have promised updated wind energy guidelines, yet communities are still judged by rules that are dangerously obsolete.

‘Families, farmers and small businesses are being sacrificed to industrial-scale energy projects that were never envisioned in 2006. The community is not against renewable energy, but this is not renewable progress, it is rural destruction by stealth.

‘The community of the Maughanaclea Hills are calling for immediate suspension of all new wind farm applications under the 2006 guidelines. We’re urging communities in West Cork and across the country to raise the issue with TDs and councillors and to submit formal objections to An Coimisiún Pleanála when the application is lodged.’

A spokesperson for Enerco said: ‘We have carried out door-door consultation with houses within 2km of the proposed site and we held a Public Information Exhibition  in Bantry on April 29 to inform the wider community.

‘These consultation efforts have led to further discussions with several members of the community and I remain available to meet any interested parties.

‘The application will be accompanied by an EIAR (Environmental Impact Assessment Report) and NIS (Natura Impact Statement) which will comprehensively address all environmental concerns associated with the proposed development (including human health, landscape). The proposed development will contribute to achieving the target of generating 9GW of electricity from onshore wind and reducing GHG emissions by 80% by 2030 as set out in the Climate Action Plan.’

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is undertaking what it is calling a ‘focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines’. A Department spokesperson said: ‘The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the guidelines including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.

‘The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment… has been working to advance guidance on the noise aspect of the guidelines, which is highly technical in nature.’

WIND TURBINE SITES

Curraglass/Cappaboy Beg (near Gougane Barra)

Three turbines, each 156.5m. Application with Cork County Council.

Gortloughra/Shehy Beg (near Kealkill)

Eight turbines, each 175m. Under appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála.

Maughanaclea Hills

Close to Bantry, pre-application for a Strategic Industrial Development (SID), 15 turbines, each 169m.

Derreenacrinnig West, Drimoleague

Three turbines, each 119m. Application lodged with Cork County Council.

Goulacullin

Close to Bantry, nine turbines., each 167m. Applied to An Coimisiún Pleanála. Application withdrawn.

Cummeen

Nowan Hill, four turbines, each 125m. Permission refused by Cork County Council.

Wind Farm protester Annabel Seymour and her partner Sean Worboys with Emma the Emu at her property in the Mealagh Valley, West Cork. Her fellow campaigners are Virginie Laveau; Collette Foster; Charlie McCarthy; Michael Colk; Time Foster; Terrie Colk and Noelle Aller Ontalba. The group claims wind turbines will be placed behind these trees. (Photo: Andy Gibson)

It would be ‘a living nightmare’

Annabel Seymour lives a peaceful existence in her idyllic home in Maughanaclea – but she fears her haven could soon become ‘a living nightmare’ due to wind turbine plans.

Ms Seymour runs a small pottery business from her house - a property she bought with an inheritance left to her by her mother. ‘It’s amazing here,’ Ms Seymour told The Southern Star.

We’re in the hills, with no neighbours, just complete peace and quiet. There’s just beautiful views, peace and quiet.’

When Ms Seymour (58) learned about a cluster of turbines planned close to her home, she feared for the future for herself, her partner Sean Warboys (61) and her 27-year-old daughter.

In tears, she revealed:  ‘I was only able to buy this house because my mum passed away and left me money.  This is our dream - moving here is my dream. I’ve invested all my mum’s inheritance to buy this house.  I feel sick that I’ve done that with my mum’s money.  The house is going to be instantly devalued by at least 25 per cent.’

The mother believes all properties near the turbines will lose market value and their installation will ruin residents’ peaceful way of life. She said:  ‘It’s all about the bottom line to these companies. They say we need all the turbines - that they’ll power so many homes.

‘I believe the electricity they generate will be sold on to the UK, France, wherever. The companies will benefit from it. The local community will suffer.’

Ms Seymour lives on around 19 acres and tends goats, sheep and emus. She’s concerned her animals will be impacted by the noise of the turbines.

‘We’ll be the closest to this proposed wind farm, with eight turbines around the back of the house, in a semi-circle,’ Ms Seymour said.

‘The closest one will be 650 metres away and the prevailing winds will be coming from behind the turbines to the house. There’ll be noise from all eight turbines, because that’s where the parallel winds come from.

‘The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, behind where the turbines will be. We’ll get shadow flicker on a regular basis.  And that will happen after two years of constant construction noise.

‘I have a pottery studio here at the house where I work. It will become very stressful because we’ll have the noise 24/7 from the turbines

‘It’s just a living nightmare. My emus are easily freaked out.

‘So, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep the emus once they start doing any construction work. And I’m going to find it difficult to work with the noise.’

She asked people to join the campaign to oppose the wind farms and to learn more about the local fight, by visiting Stopthespin.ie.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.