Report Template Normal Planning Appeal

Inspector’s Report PL20.244346 Development: The erection of 16 no. wind turbines each with a hub height of 85 metres, rotor diameter of 100 metres with an overall height of 135 metres; all associated site development works including 2 no. temporary site compound areas, a permanent anemometer mast 85 metres in height, foundations, crane hard-standings, access tracks, underground cabling, site entrance off R357; the construction of 38 kV switch-room and control facility (85.5 square metres) with associated equipment and compound area enclosed by a 2.4 metre high palisade fence; change of use of existing residential dwelling (99.9 square metres) to office use associated with the wind farm. The development would be located in the townlands of Cronin, Gortaphauill, Glenrevagh (ED Turrock), PL20.244346 An Bord Pleanála Page 1 of 160 Mullaghardagh, Tullyneeny and Turrock, Dysart, County Roscommon. Planning Authority: Roscommon County Council. Planning Authority Reg. Ref.: PL10/541. Applicant: Galetech Energy Developments Limited. Type of Application: Planning Permission. Planning Authority Decision: Grant planning permission subject to 33 conditions. Appellants: 1. Wind Turbine Group South Roscommon 2. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. 3. Mr. Tom and Fiona Farrell 4. Mr. Eamonn Kelly 5. Ms. Marie Donnelly 6. Mr. Thomas Burke 7. Mr. James Francis Fallon 8. Mr. Paul Donoghue Dates of Site Inspection: Main inspection on 3 May 2016, also on 12 and 30 May 2016 and a number of subsequent occasions. Inspector: Padraic Thornton. PL20.244346 An Bord Pleanála Page 2 of 160 Contents 1.0 Site Location and General Site Description: ........................................................ 4 2.0 Details of Proposed Development: ...................................................................... 7 3.0 Submissions made to Planning Authority: ......................................................... 10 4.0 Decision of Planning Authority: .......................................................................... 14 5.0 Grounds of Appeal: ............................................................................................ 17 6.0 Summary of later Responses/Submissions: ...................................................... 28 7.0 Development Plan Considerations: .................................................................... 75 8.0 National Policy Considerations (Most recent considerations): ........................... 87 9.0 Environmental Impact Assessment: ................................................................... 89 10.0 Appropriate Assessment: .......................................................................... 133 11.0 Assessment of issues not assessed under headings Environmental Impact Assessment or Appropriate Assessment: ............................................................... 143 12.0 Overall Conclusions on Planning Application Arising from Assessment: .. 155 13.0 Recommendation: ..................................................................................... 158 PL20.244346 An Bord Pleanála Page 3 of 160 1.0 Site Location and General Site Description: 1.1. The site is located in a rural area in South County Roscommon. It is located approximately 1.5 kilometres to the north of the village of Dysart. Dysart is a small village at the crossroads of the R363 and the R357. The R363 has an east-west alignment and links from Athlone to Ballyforan at the County Galway/County Roscommon border. The R357 links northwards from Ballinasloe in County Galway to Athleague in County Roscommon. The site is approximately 18 kilometres south of Roscommon Town, a similar distance north of Ballinasloe and a slightly shorter distance north-west of Athlone. The R357 Regional Road runs along the western and north-western sides of the site. There is a local road, the L7522, with a north- west to south-east orientation approximately 700 metres to the north of the site and there is another local road, the L7602, to the east and south-east of the site. This road ends in a cul-de-sac close to the most easterly of the proposed turbines. 1.2. The site occupies a ridge in the landscape to the north of the R363. This ridge runs in a north-west to south-east orientation with the highest point in the site being located at approximately 110 metres OD. There is a dip downwards from here in all directions with a more gentle dip across the site of the proposed wind farm towards the south-east. Proposed Turbine No. 7 at 103 metres OD would be close to the highest point on the site with proposed Turbine No. 6, at 67 metres OD, at the lowest. The ridge on which the wind farm is proposed is on the skyline in views northwards from the R363. The area is generally relatively flat to undulating with no pronounced landscape features dominating the area. There are a couple of somewhat higher hills about 3 kilometres away to the north. There are a number of relatively flat low-lying areas in the vicinity which are subject to periodic flooding. The nearest of those to the site of the proposed development are Thomas Street, Turlough located just north of the village of Dysart, Lough Croan approximately 1 kilometre from Turbine No. 6 to the north-east and Cuilleenirwan and Coolagarry Loughs which are located approximately 1.5 kilometres to the east. The area in PL20.244346 An Bord Pleanála Page 4 of 160 question is a rural one with the nearest village being at Dysart to the south. There are somewhat larger settlements at Ballyforan, approximately 3.5 kilometres to the south-west, Curraghboy approximately 4.5 kilometres to the north-east, Four Roads approximately 3.5 kilometres to the north-west and Brideswell about 6.5 kilometres to the south- east. There is a scattering of dwelling houses located on the regional and local roads in the vicinity of the site. The plans submitted indicate 51 dwellings or permitted dwellings within 1 kilometre of the proposed turbines. There is a primary school located on Local Road L2015. The school is located approximately 1 kilometre east of the location of proposed Turbine No. 12. 1.3. The predominant land use in the area and particularly in the site of the proposed development and in the landholdings involved in the application is agriculture. The bulk of the turbines would be located in improved grassland fields currently used for grazing. A few, i.e. 8, 9 and 3 would be located in or close to scrubland areas. The field boundaries in the lands where the turbines are proposed are generally of stone wall construction. There is some but not a significant amount of mature tree/bush vegetation at the field boundaries. There is also some tree/bush vegetation associated with some of the archaeological features on the site. There are some mature trees near the western and north-western end of the site where the access off the R357 to the access road leading to Turbine No. 7 is proposed. 1.4. There are a number of archaeological features generally in the form of ringforts located within the lands where the turbines are proposed. These features, which generally consist of circular earth/stone banks, are relatively low and do not have a pronounced visual impact on the wider area. Some of the features where there are trees or bushes are visually more noticeable due to the vegetation rather than the earthworks themselves. There are a number of low earth features, some of which appear from the documentation to be of archaeological interest but which are difficult to identify due to overgrown scrub and vegetation, in the area close to the existing anemometer to the north of proposed Turbine No. 9. A number of former water tanks PL20.244346 An Bord Pleanála Page 5 of 160 and feeding troughs were noted in the area on inspection. These appear to be features of the area generally. Water seems to have been collected as run-off from a hard-surfaced area and stored in a tank. In some instances, it appears that the water may have been obtained from groundwater at a lower level. The majority, however, seem to have been fed from surface run-off. There are occasional groups of trees at field boundaries and surrounding residential properties throughout the general area. The fields have generally a fairly regular pattern and whilst small they are not exceptionally small by West of Ireland standards. 1.5. During the main inspection of the lands, where the turbines are proposed, on the 3rd May 2016 there was evidence of some parts of the lands at the eastern end of the site having been flooded relatively recently. It appeared that the location of proposed Turbine No. 6 was within or close to the area which had been flooded. A number of localised depressions which could act as discharge points for surface water were noted in the general area. These are referred to as dolines in the documentation and literature relating to karst areas. The main surface water drainage system in the area is the River Suck located approximately 4 kilometres to the west. The river is the boundary between Counties Galway and Roscommon. There was no evidence of surface water drainage channels in the lands where the turbines are proposed. A drainage channel indicated as the Ballyglass River, in the documentation, crosses the R363 south of Cuilleenirwan Lough approximately 1.5 kilometres to the south- east of the proposed turbines. This channel flows towards the south-west and to the River Suck. The channel appears to have been manually constructed in the section where it crosses the R363. The channel runs between the more elevated lands where the development

Load more