Meenbog Wind Farm developer granted time for substitute consent application

The company developing a controversial wind farm near Ballybofey has been given an extension of time to make an application for substitute consent.

An Bord Pleanála has granted Planree Ltd an extension of time, until April 1, 2024, for the lodgement of an application in relation to the Meenbog Wind Farm.

The submissions on file were considered at a Board Meeting held on January 9 and three days later an order confirming the decision was signed.

In November 2020, the Meenbog Wind Farm was the scene of a major peat slide.  Thousands of tonnes of peat and conifers careered down into the Mournebeg river and the Shruhangarve burn on the construction site of the 19-turbine wind farm, situated just south of Ballybofey.

Last May, High Court Proceedings, taken by Donegal County Council, heard claims that unauthorised works have been carried out at the site with the local authority seeking to restrain Planree Limited and Mid Cork Electrical Limited from finishing the ‘largely complete’ project at Meenbog, Cashelnavean, Co Donegal.

The development has received more than €100 million investment with 182 acres of Sitka trees having been felled to make way for the turbines. It has previously been reported that Amazon committed to buying the energy from the completed 91.2MW Meenbog 19-turbine windfarm for Amazon Web Services.

Leave to apply for substitute consent, a form of retention permission in Irish planning law, has been sought for 25 deviations from the permitted development. An inspector’s report has highlighted 45 deviations from the permitted development, the majority of which it is claimed do not require substitute consent.

MKO Consultants, acting on behalf of the applicant, have said that 90 per cent of the engineering works - including access roads, electricity substation, turbine hardstands, turbine bases, pear repositories and borrow pit areas - are already ‘substantially complete’.

Of the 25 deviations that will require substitute consent, many relate to alternation of the internal road alignment, additional peat storage cell, alterations to the alignment of several access roads.

An inspectors’s report from last year said that there was no assertion that the subject deviations caused the peat slide in 2020.

Last year, a senior counsel, Esmonde Keane, for Donegal County Council, told the High Court that there has been ‘quite significant’ excavation of bog and construction at a two-hectare quarry and just 0.2 hectares was permitted.

Most of the components for the wind turbines are in storage in Killybegs and remain ready to be erected and commissioned. 

A multi-agency response to the incident, which caused a major ecological disaster, was led by the Loughs’ Agency and an action plan was put in place. Construction works on the site where the peat slide originated was suspended.