Challenge to €70m Kildare wind farm still before the courts

An appeal against a €70 million Kildare wind farm is still before the courts.

Lorraine Quinn and Edo Advocacy CLG previously got permission from the High Court to seek to have An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant permission for the Drehid Wind Farm overturned. 

North Kildare Windfarm Ltd wants to errect 12 turbines with a tip height of up to 169 meters as well as an on-site electricity substation in the townlands of Ballynamullagh, Coolree, Drehid, Dunfierth, Killyon, Kilmurry and Mulgeeth.

More than 370 objections, many of them group observations, were lodged with Kildare County Council when the plans were submitted on December 18 2018. After numerous further information requests were dealt with, the local authority refused permission on December 19 2019. The main reason for the decision was concerns over the condition of the road network.

The council said; "The road network is substandard in terms of condition, carrying capacity, width, surface treatment and alignment to accommodate the traffic likely to arise and the proposed development would, therefore, endanger public

safety by reason of traffic hazard." 

This was appealed by the applicants to An Bord Pleanála on January 23 2020. The Kildare Environment Awareness Group and Lorraine Quinn also contacted the board to register their concerns about the development. 

The board, granted permission on October 3 2020 with 16 conditions attached.

The local community then started the legal process of undertaking a judicial review of that decision. So far Drehid Against Wind Turbines have raised over €8,000 of their €15,000 target to cover the legal costs of the case. 

The Lorraine Quinn and Edo Advocacy CLG case came up in court last February and June, and is listed in the court diary for November 2, however it's understood it may be adjourned again until next year. 

Statkraft is the parent company of North Kildare Windfarm Ltd.