We apologise to those of you who couldnt open the Observation letter layout, we have uploaded two new versions below:

Observation Letter Layout (PDF- View only)

Observation Letter Layout (Word – Editable)

If you are unsure of what you should put in your letter of objection, or need some advice on the wording then there will be a drop in session in the ‘Wee Bar’ in Fitzpatricks between 8:30pm and 10:30pm on Friday the 3rd of June, all welcome!

We have also provided a sample layout to help you with your objection / observation below:

Observation Layout

Deadline – 4:00pm Wednesday 8th of June

Must contain key information :

• Name & Address
• Date
• Planning Ref .No – 11/228
• State Objection (s)
• Signature
• Enclose €20 ( cash or cheque acceptable )

Ensure you get a receipt.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IF YOU ARE POSTING AN OBJECTION / OBSERVATION, IT MUST BE POSTED BY FRIDAY THE 3rd OF JUNE TO ENSURE ITS DELIVERY BY WEDNESDAY THE 8th OF JUNE OTHERWISE IT IS POSSIBLE TO DROP IT IN TO

Planning Department
Louth County Council
County Offices
Millennium Centre
Dundalk

For those of you who wish to print copies of the petition template, it is now available to download below:

WORD FORMAT

PDF FORMAT

An illustration comparing the proposed turbine height with the turbine at DKIT. It also shows how the blade span is greater than the size of a regulation soccer pitch!! Click the image for a larger view.

There is a meeting  in St.Patricks hall, Lordship at 7:45pm on Monday the 30th of May. Facts regarding the Rockmarshall wind farm and how to object will be the main topics of the presentation.

Recent article in The Sunday Times, Click to read.

Recent article in the Metro Herald, Click to read.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0510/1224296602837.html

An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for a wind farm at Gaybrook Demesne near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, writes EOGHAN MacCONNELL .

A number of local residents had raised concerns about the proposed development which consisted of nine 125-metre and 135-metre turbines. The application was lodged by Galetech Energy Developments Ltd.

Tom Wallace, of the Midlands Industrial Wind Turbine Action Group, expressed relief at the decision.

“These turbines would have been one and a half times the height of the Statue of Liberty and taller than the Spire in Dublin,” Mr Wallace claimed.

Suggesting alternative locations, he said: “There’s about 20,000 acres of bogs about two miles away as the crow flies.”

Galetech director Darren Sherry described the planning refusal as unfortunate. Mr Sherry doesn’t believe there is a growing resistance to wind farms. “There hasn’t been a dramatic change in terms of planning,” he said.

http://www.roscommonpeople.ie/itemdetail.asp?ItemID=18000&menu=d1800

The Wind Turbine Action Group in South Roscommon this week issued the results of an analysis which they conducted into the 408 submissions made by people in respect of plans by Galetech to proceed with 16 wind turbines in the vicinity of Dysart, a project known as the Seven Hills Wind Farm.

In a statement, the group says that 408 submissions have been made by local people and people who have an interest in this area. Of all these submissions 72% have objections against this wind farm and 28% spoke out in favour.
“This in itself shows the deep division this proposal has caused in the community. Naturally there are people in favour who have a genuine belief in the advantages of wind energy and/or those with a financial interest. But the fact that so many people are against this wind farm is a sign that cannot be ignored. It doesn’t mean however that all these people are necessarily against wind energy. Some people expressed in their submissions that they are generally in favour of wind energy.  “However the main concern of the people with objections (77%) is the (potential) damage to the landscape and the loss of the rural environment.  People wonder why this development has to be so close to their community, possibly ruining the landscape for generations to come. And as the figures show, the people do appreciate the local landscape highly.”   The Wind Turbine Action Group says that this development will also negatively influence the tourism industry, according to 9% of the objectors.

“In the draft Roscommon Wind Energy Strategy (WES) the landscape value is indicated as moderate. This is another way of saying that this landscape is of the lowest value. This is in sharp contrast with the opinion of the local people. Dysart was not mentioned at all as suitable for wind turbines in the County Development Plan. In the draft WES it suddenly turns up as suitable.

“This is particularly worrying as the development of these wind farms is heavily criticised by the Irish Academy of Engineers in their report: ‘Energy Policy and Economic Recovery 2010 – 2015’. They found that from a capacity point of view, there is no need for additional generating requirement for at least the next ten years. Furthermore that the construction of wind farms drives up the price of energy. It would result in a high percentage of conventional plants being regularly forced off the system (not being used). This is in economic terms equivalent to partial stranding of these assets. This is a very serious issue for the economics of the power industry generally.”

According to the Wind Turbine Action Group, the Irish Academy of Engineers also state:

* Wind energy is a relatively expensive form of electricity generation.

* It would involve capital expenditure of the order of €10bn at a time when no new generating capacity is required.

* The suggestion that large-scale wind energy production could be exported in a commercial way is without any sound economic basis.

The submissions show that the people with objections are afraid of noise (53%), flicker (17%) or their health in general (42%).  They also show that people are genuinely concerned about the wildlife in general (42%) and the birds in particular (48%). In some of the well-documented submissions it is stated that building the wind farm Seven Hills would not be in accordance with the EU Habitats Directive. Thirty-nine percent of the objectors are afraid that in the future their property will be devalued and ultimately people think this development will lead to a restraint on planning permissions in the future and depopulation of the area (33%).  The Wind Turbine Action Group says lack of consideration for the connection to the national grid in the plan for the Seven Hills Wind Farm, worries people because of the fear that they will be confronted with the building of pylons with power lines.

“People feel that this should have been part of the planning process. They feel that the consultation process was kept to an absolute minimum. Other concerns people have are: the impact of the construction on traffic and local roads (25%); the effect on water tables and quality of the water (20%); the effects on the archaeology in this particular area (17%); nine percent think that the installation of wind turbines will influence the reception of TV or other forms of telecommunication and or the electro magnetic radiation will have a bad effect on their health; it opens up the possibility for building more wind turbines in the future think 7% and finally 7% expressed their concern about the decommissioning of the wind turbines at a time when there is no longer use for them because their economic or technical life has come to an end.”