An Bord Pleanála Inspector’s Report Development : Wind farm of 32 no. turbines (96MW output) at Yellow River, north of Rhode, Co. Offaly. Application under Section 37E of Planning & Development Act 2000 (as amended) Planning Authority : Offaly County Council Applicant : Green Wind Energy (Wexford) Ltd. Type of Application : Strategic Infrastructure Development Submissions & observations Offaly County Council : Yes Prescribed Bodies x. 7 : Yes Observers x. 85 + 2 : Yes Dates of site inspection : 18 th December 2013, 21 st February, 26 th February, & 30 th April 2014. Inspector: Michael Dillon 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 1 of 114 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 PRE-PLANNING CONSULTATION - AN BORD PLEANALA 8 2.0 SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 8 3.0 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 10 4.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND OTHER GUIDANCE 12 4.1 National Energy Policy 12 4.1.1 Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland 4.1.2 National Renewable Energy Action Plan 4.1.3 Strategy for Renewable Energy 4.1.4 Ireland’s Second National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 4.1.5 Government Policy Statement on Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure 4.1.6 Grid 25 – A Strategy for the Development of Electricity Grid 4.2 National Economic Policy 14 4.2.1 Delivering our Green Potential 4.3 National Planning Policy & Guidance 14 4.3.1 National Spatial Strategy 4.3.2 Wind Farm Guidelines 2006 4.3.3 Proposed Revisions to Wind Farm Guidelines 2006 4.4 Regional Policy 15 4.4.1 Regional Planning Guidelines for the Midlands Region 4.5 Local Planning Policy 16 4.5.1 County Offaly Development Plan 2009-2015 4.5.2 County Offaly Wind Strategy to 2015 4.5.3 Draft County Offaly Development Plan 2014-2020 4.5.4 Kildare County Development Plan 2011-2017 4.5.5 Meath County Development Plan 2013-2019 4.5.6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2008-2014 5.0 PLANNING HISTORY 18 6.0 OFFALY COUNTY COUNCIL SUBMISSION 19 6.1 County Manager’s Report 19 6.2 Proceedings of Meeting of Offaly Co. Co. on 17 th Feb. 2014 22 7.0 PRESCRIBED BODIES 23 7.1 Bodies Notified by the Applicant 23 7.2 Responses Received 23 7.2.1 Irish Aviation Authority 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 2 of 114 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 7.2.2 National Roads Authority 7.2.3 An Taisce 7.2.4 Department of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht 7.2.5 Health Service Executive 7.2.6 Inland Fisheries Ireland 7.2.7 Kildare County Council 8.0 OBSERVATIONS OBJECTING TO DEVELOPMENT 25 8.1 Parties Objecting to Development 25 8.2 Grounds of Objection 28 8.2.1 Archaeology & Built Heritage 8.2.2 Visual Amenity 8.2.3 Access & Roads 8.2.4 Noise 8.2.5 Ecology 8.2.6 Livestock & Bloodstock Farming 8.2.7 Shadow Flicker 8.2.8 Drainage 8.2.9 Human Health 8.2.10 Energy Generation & Transmission 8.2.11 Property Values 8.2.12 General Considerations 8.2.13 Site-specific Considerations 8.3 Accompanying Documentation 37 9.0 OBSERVATIONS IN FAVOUR OF DEVELOPMENT 38 9.1 Party in Favour of Development 38 9.2 Grounds in Favour 38 10.0 ORAL HEARING REQUEST 39 11.0 APPLICANT’S RESPONSE SUBMISSION 39 11.1 Applicant’s Response – General 39 11.2 Applicant’s Response to Offaly County Council Submission 40 11.3 Applicant’s Response to DoA,H&G Submission 44 11.4 Applicant’s Response to HSE Submission 44 11.5 Applicant’s Response to IFI Submission 45 11.6 Applicant’s Response to IAA Submission 45 11.7 Applicant’s Response to Common Issues of Observers 45 11.8 Applicant’s Response to Specific Issues of Observers 48 11.9 Associated Submissions from Applicant – Section 1 50 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 3 of 114 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 11.10 Associated Submissions from Applicant – Section 2 52 11.11 Revised Site Notices 53 11.12 Further Unsolicited Additional Information 53 12.0 RESPONSES TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUBMISSION 54 12.1 Response of Offaly County Council 54 12.2 Response of Prescribed Bodies 55 12.2.1 Irish Aviation Authority 12.2.2 National Roads Authority 12.2.3 Department of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht 12.2.4 Westmeath County Council 12.2.5 Kildare County Council 12.3 Response of Observers Opposed to Scheme 56 12.3.1 General Comment 12.3.2 Omission of Turbines 12.3.3 Relocation of Turbines 12.3.4 Reduction in Height of Turbines 12.3.5 Alteration to Construction Access Between T31 & T32 12.3.6 Adjusted Noise Impact Assessment 12.3.7 Adjusted Shadow Flicker Assessment 12.3.8 Additional Winter Bird Survey 12.3.9 Other Issues 12.3.10 Associated Submissions 12.4 Response Observation In Favour of Scheme 60 12.4.1 Grounds in Favour 12.4.2 Associated Submissions 13.0 ASSESSMENT 61 13.1 General Comments 61 13.2 Principle of Development – Development Plan & Guidance 61 13.2.1 Government Policy and Wind Energy Guidelines 13.2.2 Draft Wind Energy Guidelines 2013 13.2.3 County Offaly Development Plan 2009-2015 13.3 Landscape Character & Visual Amenity 62 13.3.1 Landscape Character 13.3.2 Zone of Theoretical Visibility 13.3.3 Scenic Views 13.3.4 Existing Landscape Interventions 13.3.5 Visual Impact 13.3.6 Cumulative Impact of Wind Farms 13.3.7 Mitigation Measures 13.4 Access & Traffic 65 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 4 of 114 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 13.4.1 Delivery Route for Wind Turbine Components 13.4.2 Access for Conventional Construction Traffic 13.4.3 Access for Maintenance Traffic 13.5 Design & Layout 66 13.5.1 General 13.5.2 Turbines 13.5.3 Electrical Compound & Cables 13.5.4 Temporary Site Compound 13.5.5 Meteorological Mast 13.5.6 New & Upgraded Site Roads 13.5.7 Excavated Spoil 13.6 Cultural Heritage 68 13.6.1 Archaeology 13.6.2 Moated Site & Fulachtaí Fia 13.6.3 Other Archaeological Features 13.6.4 Built Heritage 13.6.5 Mill Race 13.6.6 Settings of Items of Cultural Heritage 13.6.7 General Cultural Heritage of the Area 13.7 Noise 73 13.7.1 Noise-Sensitive Locations 13.7.2 Baseline Noise Monitoring 13.7.3 Noise Modelling 13.7.4 Discrepancies in Noise Data Submitted 13.7.5 Adjusted Noise Impact Report 13.7.6 Inconsistencies in Data Submitted on 3 rd April 2014 13.7.7 Low Frequency Noise 13.7.8 Construction Noise 13.7.9 Noise Mitigation Measures 13.8 Shadow Flicker 76 13.8.1 Wind Energy Guidelines Recommendation 13.8.2 Houses Affected by Shadow Flicker 13.8.3 Shadow Flicker Occurrence 13.8.4 Shadow Flicker Calculations 13.8.5 Adjusted Shadow Flicker Report 13.8.6 Modelling for Shadow Flicker in Revised Scheme 13.8.7 Mitigation Measures 13.8.8 Shadow Flicker and Roads 13.8.9 Recommended Condition 13.9 Ecology 79 13.9.1 General Comment 13.9.2 Flora & Fauna Site Surveys 13.9.3 Natural Heritage Areas 13.9.4 Habitat Surveys 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 5 of 114 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 13.9.5 Mammals 13.9.6 Bats 13.9.7 Birds 13.9.8 Winter Birds 13.9.9 Whooper Swan 13.9.10 Collision Impact for Birds 13.9.11 Aquatic Ecology 13.9.12 Construction Phase 13.9.13 Loss of Habitats 13.10 Soils & Geology 85 13.10.1 Site Surveys 13.10.2 Bedrock Geology 13.10.3 Surface Water Features 13.10.4 Peat 13.11 Water 86 13.11.1 Flooding 13.11.2 Surface Water Quality 13.11.3 Bedrock Aquifer 13.11.4 Mitigation Measures 13.12 Air & Climate 87 13.13 ‘Windtake’ 88 13.13.1 ‘Windtake’ 13.13.2 Wind Energy Guidelines 13.13.3 Proximity to Adjoining Lands 13.14 Environmental Impact Statement 89 13.14.1 General Comment 13.14.2 Compliance with 2001 Regulations 13.14.3 Identification of Likely Significant Effects 13.14.4 Description of Likely Effects Identified 13.14.5 Assessment of Likely Significant Effects 13.14.6 Conclusions – Likely Residual Effects 13.15 Appropriate Assessment 95 13.15.1 EU Guidance 13.15.2 Appropriate Assessment Screening Report 13.15.3 List of European Sites 13.15.4 Qualifying Interests of Nearby European Sites 13.15.5 River Crossings 13.15.6 Conclusions of Screening Report 13.15.7 Whooper Swan 13.15.8 In-combination Effects 13.15.9 Appropriate Assessment Conclusion 13.16 Other Issues 98 13.16.1 Site Ownership 13.16.2 Employment 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 6 of 114 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 13.16.3 Material Assets 13.16.4 Aircraft Safety 13.16.5 Waste Management 13.16.6 Telecommunications 13.16.7 Financial Contribution/Bonds 13.16.8 Decommissioning 13.16.9 Construction Period & Construction Hours 13.16.10 Duration of Planning Permission 13.16.11 Impact on Tourism 13.16.12 Public Consultation 13.16.13 Community Benefit Fund 13.16.14 Safety 13.16.15 Public Health 14.0 RECOMMENDATION 104 19.PA0032 An Bord Pleanala Page 7 of 114 1.0 PRE-PLANNING CONSULTATION – AN BORD PLEANÁLA As provided for under section 37B of the Planning and Development Act 2000, (amended by the Planning and Development [Strategic Infrastructure] Act 2006), Jennings ) O’Donovan & Partners Ltd., agent on behalf of Green Wind Energy (Wexford) Ltd, entered into discussions with An Bord Pleanála in relation to the proposed development – ref.