Inspector’s Report ABP-303592-19 Development A 10-year planning permission for the construction of a wind farm comprising 24 no. wind turbines, 1 no. 110kV substation and all related works. Location Derryadd Wind Farm at Lanesborough, Co. Longford. Planning Authority Longford County Council Planning Authority Reg. Ref. Applicant(s) Powergen Ltd Type of Application Strategic Infrastructure Development Observations 24no. – Jim McCausland & Dominic McGrath; No to Derryadd Windfarm Community Group; Elspeth Hall; Andrea & James McCausland; Niall Dennigan; John Kiernan; BoM Cloontagh NS; Charlie Sorohan; John Duffy; Stephen & Fiona Coffey; Peter Sweetman; Cllr John Browne; Irish Wildlife Trust; John & Mary O’Brien; Stephen & Marie Peters; Michael & Aoife Farrell; Margaret Peg Farrell; Marie Farrell; Irish Peatlands Council; Birdwatch ABP-303592-19 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 198 Ireland; ISPCA; Andrew Kiely; Michael O’Donnell; and Cllr Micheál Carrigy Date(s) of Site Inspection 16/05/19, 05/06/19 and 12/06/19 Inspector John Desmond ABP-303592-19 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 198 Contents 1.0 Site Location and Description .............................................................................. 5 2.0 Proposed Development ....................................................................................... 7 3.0 Planning History ................................................................................................... 8 4.0 Other relevant consents ..................................................................................... 10 5.0 Policy Context .................................................................................................... 11 International Energy Policy Framework ....................................................... 11 European Energy Policy .............................................................................. 12 National Energy & Climate Policy ................................................................ 13 Regional Policy ........................................................................................... 18 Local Policy ................................................................................................. 18 Guidelines and reference documents .......................................................... 21 Natural Heritage Designations .................................................................... 22 EIA Screening ............................................................................................. 23 6.0 Observations and submissions .......................................................................... 23 Third Party Observers ................................................................................. 23 Planning Authority ....................................................................................... 84 Prescribed Bodies ....................................................................................... 94 Oral Hearing .............................................................................................. 111 7.0 Assessment ..................................................................................................... 113 Validity, procedural and legal issues ......................................................... 113 Policy context / principle ............................................................................ 115 8.0 Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................. 124 Population & human health ....................................................................... 127 Biodiversity ................................................................................................ 134 ABP-303592-19 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 198 Land, soil, water, air and climate ............................................................... 151 Material assets, cultural heritage and the landscape; ............................... 165 Interactions................................................................................................ 178 Reasoned Conclusion ............................................................................... 178 9.0 Appropriate Assessment .................................................................................. 181 Stage 1 Screening ..................................................................................... 181 Stage 2 appropriate assessment ............................................................... 182 10.0 Recommendation ...................................................................................... 195 ABP-303592-19 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 198 1.0 Site Location and Description The application relates to a site of 1,908ha stated area situated in the southwest of Longford County, c.8km to the southwest of Longford town and c.20km north of Athlone town. The site is within c.1km of the River Shannon, northwest of Lough Ree. The site boundary extends along a narrow spur east to the Royal Canal. The site is irregular in shape, extending approximately 11km in length (NW to SE) and c.5km (W to E) at the greatest dimension and is primarily in three main sections subdivided by the public road network (the N63 and R398), which are referred to in the documentation as (from north to south): • Derryaroge Bog • Lough Bannow Bog • Derryadd Bog A small portion (c.6.3ha) of Derryshannoge bog is included within the site to the west of the R392. The site covers a large number of townlands which I do not consider necessary to refer to here. The site predominantly comprises extensive areas of drained boglands that have been or are currently being harvested for peat on an industrial scale, with the usual ancillary infrastructure (e.g. rail) extant on site. However significant portions of the site are no longer being actively harvested and broadleaf woodlands (mainly Birch) have naturally revegetated over large areas. The site is undulating. Derryaroge Bog ranges from c.37m OD to 45m OD, Lough Bannow Bog from c.41m OD to 50m OD, and Derryadd Bog from 45m OD to 55m OD. A dense network of parallel drains crosses the site (see EIAR Figures 8.3A, 8.3B and 8.3C), draining (by pumping and gravity) to the surrounding watercourses (Ballynakill to the north, Bilberry / Ledwithstown to the south, and Lough Bannow stream to the west) which ultimately drain to the Shannon. The wider landscape is generally flat, but becomes more gently rolling to the east, and is interspersed by field hedgerows with mature trees. There are extensive boglands surrounding the site in all directions; the majority of which has been subject of industrial peat harvesting and but with others only having been subject to small, ABP-303592-19 Inspector’s Report Page 5 of 198 domestic scale operations. In addition, there is extensive agricultural lands surrounding the site, interspersed with forestry plantations. It is a deeply rural area, with some one-off rural housing dispersed along the surrounding road network. The nearest significant settlement is the village of Lanesborough (a local service town) to the west of the northern section of the site, the settlement boundary being within c.770m of the application site boundary. The designated settlement of Keenagh village is located c.516m to the east. Other rural villages or hamlets include Derraghan and Killashee. Derraghan is located at the junction of the R398 and the R392, c.70m from the southwest of the site as measured to its designated development boundary. The existing development within the settlement is c.160m distant. Killashee is situated on the N63 c.1km to the northeast of the mid-section of the site. Cloontagh National School and some one- off housing are situated along the R398 between the middle section and southern section of the site. Figure 5.1 of the EIAR indicates the location of dwellings and sensitive receptors within a 2km buffer zone of the proposed turbines locations. Drawing no.BNM-NB- OG-01-03 submitted with the pre-SID consultations (17/03/18) provides more detailed separation distance contours and, although the site boundary is altered from the consultation drawing, the turbine locations appear very similar and the Board may find this a useful drawing for indicative purposes. The applicant has identified Lough Ree Power, located to the west of Derryaroge Bog, as significant energy infrastructure with associated grid infrastructure in the form of 110kV pylons network (Lanesborough / Richmond and Lanesborough / Mullingar lines). Sliabh Bawn Wind Farm is located within County Roscommon on the western side of the Shannon, c.8km northwest of the application site. Roosky Wind Farm is located c.14.5km to the north and Skrine Wind Farm is located c.19km to the south-west. ABP-303592-19 Inspector’s Report Page 6 of 198 2.0 Proposed Development Summary description: • The application is for a 10-year permission and a 30-year operational life from date of commissioning; • 24no. wind turbines of 185m tip height and associated hard-standing areas; • 5no. borrow pits; • 3no. permanent anemometry masts of up to 120m height; • New internal access roads (permanent and temporary), passing bays, cycleways, car parking and associated drainage; • 1no. electricity substation (two location options provided for – (option A) Cloonfore townland or (option B) Derraghan More townland) with 2no. control buildings, associated electrical plant and equipment, battery storage containers and wastewater holding tank; • Battery storage forming part of the electricity substation (8no. battery storage