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An Bord Pleanala have refused permission for 11 no. turbines in Ardglass, East Cork, by Order dated 2nd December 2014. The turbines would have measured 156m (the Spire in Dublin is approx. 120m). A number of sources have quoted these turbines as being the tallest on-shore turbines proposed in Ireland.

The Board refused permission having regard to:
(a) the Cork County Development Plan 2009- 2015,
(b) the Wind Energy Guidelines 2006,
(c) the number, scale and height of the proposed turbines,
(d) the location of the site in a quiet rural elevated upland plateau, and
(e) the lack of significant landscape features in the area,
stating that they were not satisfied that on the basis of the documentation submitted that the proposed development, by reason of the open and exposed nature of the receiving landscape, and by reason of proximity to noise sensitive receptors, would not result in serious injury to the visual and residential amenities of the area.

The Board was also not satisfied that the planning application would not have a significant adverse impact on the ecology of the area, including protected species, and that insufficient information was contained within the file to allow it to conduct a screening for Appropriate Assessment.

Finally, the Board also considered that Read the rest of this entry »

A question arose as to whether or not works undertaken to an outbuilding adjacent to a protected structure can be classified as exempted development at Erin Lodge, Athy Road, County Carlow.

The structure which is the subject of the referral is located within the garden of a dwellinghouse, which is listed on the record of protected structures in the Carlow Town Development Plan. The outbuilding is a small pitched roof stone structure with an elongated lean-to shed to the immediate rear.

The works undertaken included the replacement of an existing metal sheet roof with a new metal sheet roof; plastering and the incorporation of a new window opening on the southern elevation at first floor level.
Carlow Town Council determined that the works undertaken at the outbuilding constitute development which was not exempted development. The owner/occupier of the residential dwelling and outbuilding referred the question to An Board Pleanala.

The grounds for referral included, inter alia, the building is not listed in the Development Plan as a protected structure. The listing in the Development Plan must be informative and must therefore refer to all the physical structures which it is intended to protect. The Act requires that every protected structure be included in the record of protected structures. The works undertaken at the shed cannot be considered to be unauthorised development. The works were necessary to protect the building from endangerment.

An Board Pleanala’s Senior Planning Inspector noted that Read the rest of this entry »