Council approves Brideswell wind farm

A controversial €76 million wind farm spanning parts of Brideswell and Taughmaconnell has got the seal of approval from Roscommon County Council. The 19-turbine development, phase two of the so-called Seven Hills Wind Farm planned by Cavan-based Gaeltech Energy Developments Ltd, along with another wind farm close to Dysart village, was granted planning permission last Friday by the local authority. That verdict, likely to be appealed to An Bord Pleanála by local residents and campaign groups who are vehemently opposed to the plans, is subject to compliance with 30 planning conditions. The 19 wind turbines, standing 135 metres tall are earmarked for nine separate townlands in areas of Brideswell and Taughmaconnell and would produce enough electricity to power 19,000 homes. The local areas earmarked for the wind turbines are Boleyduff, Cam, Cloonacaltry, Cuilleenoolagh, Feacle, Milltown, Skeavally, Tawnagh and Tobermacloughlin. In September last year, Roscommon County Council asked for clarification and additional detail on 17 different aspects of the application, which attracted over 100 local objections during the planning process. Some time later, the developers asked for, and were granted extra time to lodge the reports up to mid-June. Separately, the fate of the first element of the controversial wind farm plans in South Roscommon is expected within weeks. Sources in An Bord Pleanála have signalled that a verdict on the appeal for the 16-turbine Dysart development, now with the board since October last year, should finally become public towards the end of this month, ending a long-running saga stretching back to when the application was first lodged with Roscommon County Council in the autumn of 2010. The local authority later approved a 14-strong wind turbine development in October last year, the first phase of the so-called Seven Hills Wind Farm, for the townlands of Cronin, Gortaphuill, Glenrevagh, Mullaghardagh, Tullyneeny and Turrock townlands, within a few miles of Dysart village. However, that decision was subsequently appealed by 19 separate parties including local residents and campaign groups opposed to the contentious proposals. Speaking previously about the Seven Hills Wind Farm plans, Director of the IWCM Ltd, who are developing the project on behalf of Gaeltech, Darren Sherry predicted it will be 2014 or 2015 before any work will begin on either project, if approval is forthcoming, involving several hundred people at different phases of construction. It's expected ten people will be employed in each development once up and running.