Opposition mounting to turbine proposed for outside Castlepollard

More than 20 objections have been lodged with Westmeath County Council against plans to construct a 150m wind turbine just outside Castlepollard.

In December, Natural Forces Renewable Energy Limited applied for planning permission for a turbine with an overall tip height of "up to" 150m on a site in the townland of Loughanstown around 3km from Castlepollard. A spokesperson for the firm said that if given the green light the development would be "100 per cent community owned".

However the application, which is due to be decided this Friday February 18, is the subject of over 20 submissions from local residents opposed to it going ahead.

One of the submissions is from North Westmeath Turbine Action Group (NWTAG), which has spent the last five years trying to prevent Statkraft from building a wind farm in the Coole area. In its submission against Natural Forces Renewable Energy's application, NWTAG stated that the application was "invalid" for a number of reasons, including the fact that 60 houses are within the set back distance planning guideline in the county development plan and that there is a lack of detail in the specific design of the turbine and its overall height.

Local Sinn Fein TDs Sorca Clarke (Longford Westmeath) and Johnny Guirke (Meath West) also submitted an objection to the proposed development.

They said that in addition to the application contravening "at least two of Westmeath County Council's guidelines in relation to set back distances", the developer failed to consult with community groups and residents.

Another of the objections came from the well known environmentalist Peter Sweetman. In his submission he cited his successful High Court appeal against An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant planning permission to Bord na Móna for a windfarm in Longford. ABP's approval was quashed on the grounds that the application did not contain all the necessary details.