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Multiple Objections Lodged Over Proposal Of 100-Metre Weather Mast On East Clare Mountains

Multiple objections have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála over proposals to construct meterological mast in East Clare.

In November, Clare County Council granted permission for EDF renewables to develop the 100-metre high weather apparatus at a site in the Lackareagh Mountains.

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The multi-national renewable energy firm is already involved in a number of potential on shore and off-shore wind projects in this county including plans for a further development at Lackareagh.

This proposal is due to be submitted to the local authority by the second quarter of 2024 and would consist of seven turbines which could potentially generate up to 50MW of green electricity that EDF claims would power 35,000 homes.

For this purpose the company applied for and secured planning for a temporary five-year 100 metre-high meteorological mast that would provide updated wind data for the site and inform the turbine selection process for the wind farm proposals.

The mast would be fixed to the ground by anchors or stay wires on land currently in use for livestock grazing roughly 6km from Braodford.

This has been met with strong objections from local residents however, who have now taken their case to An Bord Pleanála.

One written submission from a resident in Kilbane claims the applicants have not provided details on how construction or vehicular traffic would navigate a watercourse just 200m away from the proposed site.

While another appellant, also living in Kilbane claims the development would “create horrendous anxiety for local residents and demonise landowners for allowing the community to be destroyed beyond recognition.”

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