Laois Minister tells wind farm developer to pack bags and leave

A Government Minister welcomed the refusal of a planned Laois wind farm telling the developers to pack their bags. 

Minister Sean Fleming said it appeared An Bord Pleanala were now giving more weight to County Development Plans. 

An Bord Pleanala rejected plans for the 13 turbine proposed Coolglass Wind Farm near Timahoe. The 180 metre high turbines are six times taller than the nearby Timahoe Round Tower. 

The turbines were planned in a number located in areas in contravention of the Laois County Development Plan. 

Developer Statkraft Ireland, through Coolglass Wind Farm Limited, had bypassed Laois County Council’s planning department and applied directly to An Bord Pleanala as the project was deemed a Strategic Infrastructure Development.  

Last October, Laois’s former Chief Executive John Mulholland gave details of the council’s report to An Bord Pleanala in relation to the wind farm. The report set out the council’s objection to the construction of wind turbines in areas deemed unsuitable for wind energy in the County Development Plan. 

Minister Fleming said he was pleased with An Bord Pleanala’s decision to reject the plan. He said a meeting had recently been held in The Swan to discuss the decision.  

Minister Fleming welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála to reject the planning application by Coolglass Wind Farm Ltd.

“This is an area not suitable for wind farms, as set out in the Laois County Development Plan as ‘an area not open for consideration’.

The independent Planning Regulator and the Minister both agreed with this decision in the Laois County Development Plan. In my opinion, this left An Bord Pleanála with no other option but to reject this application, deeming the area not an appropriate location for a wind farm,” said  Minister Fleming. 

“This is good news for the local communities in the area and I would ask the developers to pack up their bags, go away and not contest this decision or reapply.

I support renewable energy, but this must be located in suitable areas. For instance, I supported the Gortahile Wind Farm in Laois some years ago, as it was in a proper location. It is good to see this wind farm producing renewable energy for many years now,” he remarked. 

The proposed Coolglass Wind Farm would have been located in the townlands of Fossy Upper, Aghoney, Gorreelagh, Knocklead, Scotland, Brennanshill, Monamantry, Coolglass, Crissard and Kylenabehy.