A West Clare wind farm has been given the green light to continue operating for another 10 years.
The Booltiagh Wind Farm – which is located in rural Kilmaley and has been in place since 2000 – has been granted planning permission to remain operational for a further decade despite eight submissions calling for its cessation.
The wind farm development run by Booltiagh Wind Limited is situated in the townlands of Booltiagh and Glenmore outside Kilmaley and consists of 12 1.5 megawatt wind turbines with a maximum overall blade tip height of 90 metres.
On June 2nd of last year, Booltiagh Wind Limited applied for planning permission to continue operations for a further period of 10 years from the date of expiry which is September 30th 2025.
Further information related to the application was requested by Clare County Council on June 26th 2023 and this information was received on May 2nd of this year.
Eight submissions were made in relation to the proposed extension of the operational period – with the majority of complaints pertaining to noise issues, shadow flicker and the structural condition of one turbine which was damaged by lightning last year.
One of those who made a submission, Andreas Stranig, stated “as soon as there is any wind you hear that rushing of the turbines” and “if you open your windows at night it follows into your sleep haunting you”.
Michael and Mary O’Halloran, who made a submission in June 2023, claimed there has been “very loud noise” since one of the turbines was damaged, said the turbines a “danger to the public” and called for them to be decommissioned in the future.
Responding to the third-party submissions, Booltiagh Wind Limited said that there have been no noise complaints in relation to the development in recent years, that the development is capable of meeting required shadow flicker threshold guidelines, and that the wind turbine damaged on June 18th of 2023 was repaired and has been in operation since September 22nd of the same year.
Clare County Council granted planning permission for the development to continue operating until 2035 on July 10th subject to 10 conditions.
