BNM assessing the inclusion of amenities at energy park planned for Rochfortbridge

The “inclusion of amenity facilities” at the energy park Bord na Móna (BNM) plans to develop outside Rochfortbridge is currently been assessed, the semi-state body has said.

Responding to a query from the Westmeath Examiner about the ongoing discussions between BNM and the Rochfortbridge Community Looped Walks Committee, which was formed after local women Mary Fallon and Monica Dolan mapped five looped walking routes on Rahanine Bog during the pandemic, the firm issued this statement:

“At this stage of the BNM Energy Park , it is very important to Bord na Móna that local community groups have the opportunity to provide feedback to the project team to help inform the design of the project. The inclusion of amenity facilities as part of the proposed project is currently being assessed. Our engagement with community groups in the area on this and other issues is continuing.”

The chairperson of the looped walks committee, Mary Fallon, told the Westmeath Examiner last week that she and her colleagues are hopeful that their plans will be accommodated by BNM.

We brought them [representatives from BnM] out on the walks and showed them what we wanted. I reckon they have to give it because Rochfortbridge is a Bord na Móna town. I went to school in Rochfortbridge. The school resulted because of the houses in Derrygreenagh Park and the houses resulted because of the Bord na Móna jobs. It all goes back to Bord na Móna. I am very hopeful, but we haven’t got the licence yet.

“There is so much variety. You have the bog and its vegetation. Then you have the ordinary lakes on the bogs and then you have these massive big quarry lakes and then you have the swans and the forest. It is incredible. It is made for an amenity,” Mary says.

Rahanine Bog is part of the Derrygreenagh Bog Group, on which BNM plans to develop Ireland's first dedicated renewable energy business park on 3,000 hectares of its landbank across parts of Westmeath, Offaly and Meath

BNM plans to co-locate over 200MW of electricity directly beside businesses based in the energy park. The electricity will be generated from renewable sources such as wind, solar, energy storage and green hydrogen production.