Blackwater Wind Aware
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Yesterday at 09:53 ·
Yesterday Thursday 14th of June was a great day for West Waterford and East Cork in the fight to prevent Innogy from destroying the area for the profit of a few. The councillors of Waterford voted 28 to 1 in favour of the proposed motion to change the area around Tallow and Lismore from a preferred area for wind development to a no go area.
Dungarvan and Lismore councillors John Pratt, Declan Doocey, James Tobin, Pat Nugent, Siobhan Whelan, Tom Cronin and Seamus O Donnell proposed, seconded and all spoke in support of the motion to amend the county development plan. The motion that proposed changing the area around Tallow and Lismore from a preferred area for wind development to a no go area is simply reflecting the fact that the rationale for the for the preferred areas for wind farm development in the county has never been made clear and currently does not align with the Landscape and amenity policies of the current development plan. This is not some massive drastic change to the plan but a simple tweak to protect an area that is for many reasons particularly sensitive to large scale industrial developments.
Though it is only a minor change to the plan it is an important one and that fact was clearly demonstrated by the managing director of Innogh Ireland emailing all of the Councillors on Wednesday and advising them not to vote in favour of the motion. Most of the letter was just the utter rubbish that Innogy presented to the community on 31st of May on their “lack of information Day”, the last two paragraphs however are very revealing. I have copied and pasted them to share with you all…..
POTENTIAL TO DAMAGE INVESTOR CONFIDENCE IN CO. WATERFORD Any attempt to vary the current Waterford County Development Plan to reclassify these areas as “No-Go Areas” for wind energy development in order to block a specific project, sets a very dangerous precedent for County Waterford. To do so would give a very clear signal that County Waterford is not open for investment, not just renewable energy projects. In fact, to do so specifically with the proposed Lyre wind farm in mind, would be a blatant attempt to undermine the planning process, and the process that was undertaken to prepare the current County Development Plan.
Such a proposed variation to the County Development Plan, deliberately intended to block a specific project, would set a very dangerous precedent for the County. To do so would be a blatant attempt to undermine the planning process and process used to create the county development plan. The same tactic could be used to block any future project that also promised to bring investment and employment to County Waterford. Or indeed, any business, agriculture or residential development that a local resident might wish to pursue in the future.
Cathal Hennessy – Managing Director (Ireland)
Innogy Renewables Ireland Limited
Unit 5 Desart House, Lower New Street, Kilkenny City
M: +353 (0)87 9980443
E: cathal.hennessy@innogy.com
W: www.innogy.com
The last two paragraphs drip with desperation and are a clear attempt to bully our councillors, councillors who were carrying their duty and representing the local community.
The fact the Mr Hennessy has tried to misrepresent the proposed variartion is disgusting and once again demonstrates the complete lack of integrity that Innogy, Highfield energy and Coillte have acted with since the community exposed Innogy’s plans for a massive industrial wind wind farm of 25 turbines of up to 150m in height, turbines that would directly impact in the most negative of ways over 270 homes.
Please share this post far and wide and support the residents of West Waterford and East Cork in their fight to save their homes, community and the environment.
We will be holding information evenings in Tallow, Conna and Inch in the coming weeks. Dates will be posted soon.