Donegal County Council refuses permission for wind energy development at UPPER ILLIES, BUNCRANA, Co. Donegal

In context

It is one of 10 wind energy applications Donegal County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 60 nationally. Of the 84 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 74% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 5 October 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Donegal County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

CONSTRUCTION OF TWO WIND TURBINES COMPRISING A STEEL TOWER, NACELLES AND COMPOSITE FIBRE ROTOR BLADES WITH A HUB HEIGHT OF UP TO 85 METRES, A ROTOR BLADE DIAMETER OF UP TO 82 METRES, AND THUS A BLADE TIP HEIGHT OF UP TO 126 METRES. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ALSO INCLUDES EXTERNAL WIND TURBINE TRANSFORMERS; TURBINE HARDSTANDS; NEW ACCESS TRACKS, UPGRADE OF EXISTING TRACKS, NEW SITE ENTRANCE; DRAINAGE WORKS INCLUDING DRAINAGE CHANNELS AND SILT TRAPS ALONG THE ACCESS TRACKS; UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL CABLES; AND ALL ANCILLARY DEVELOPMENT AND ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS