Proposed Kildare Wind mast won't impact aircraft, claim developers
Photo for illustrative purposes only
AN UPDATE has been lodged with Kildare County Council in relation to the proposed wind monitoring mast for the highly contested Kilberry Wind Farm project, with developers insisting the structure will not have significant environmental or visual impacts, and will not disrupt Irish Air Corps operations.
The proposed wind monitoring mast is seen as a step in potentially developing a wind farm in the area.
However, Catherine Casey of the Stop Kilberry Windfarm Action Group, is calling the recent submission a “masterclass in corporate arrogance.” In a response submitted on 2 March, Kilberry Wind Farm DAC addressed the council’s request for further information concerning the 120-metre wind monitoring mast proposed for Kilberry Bog, Loughabor, near Athy.
One of the primary concerns raised by the council was the mast’s location within Military Operating Area 4 and the Athy Low Flying Tactical Training Area, where it could pose a potential obstacle to aircraft.
The developer confirmed it engaged directly with the Department of Defence through meetings, and appointed two specialist military aviation consultants to assess the issue.
The experts concluded that the temporary mast could “safely co-exist” with Irish Air Corps operations, provided standard international lighting and marking measures are applied.
The developer argued that it would be unreasonable to “sterilise” approximately 1,000 hectares of land from renewable energy assessment due to what it described as a relatively small mobile low-flying training area, particularly in the context of national climate obligations.
On the issue of associated infrastructure, Kilberry Wind Farm DAC clarified that two separate battery systems are required, one lightweight solar-powered system for climate instrumentation and data logging, and a second ground-based system to power aviation warning lights. Revised site layout plans, elevations and details of the auxiliary power system have now been submitted.
In response to concerns over landscape and visual impact, the company submitted a full landscape and visual impact assessment, including photomontages from surrounding regional and local roads as well as designated scenic routes under the Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029.
An ecological impact assessment has also been carried out in line with CIEEM guidelines. The report concludes that the temporary mast will not have significant effects on habitats or species in the area, including the Hen Harrier population associated with the Slieve Bloom Mountains SAC.
Proposed mitigation measures include working outside the March to August breeding season or carrying out nesting bird checks under ecological supervision if works proceed during that period.
In its concluding statement, Kilberry Wind Farm DAC said it believes the additional documentation provides “conclusive evidence” that the mast does not pose an unmanageable risk to any of the above factors.
Since its publication, members of Stop Kilberry Wind Farm Action Group have been trawling through the information submission by Kilberry Wind Farm DAC.
It is the opinion of the group’s founder, Catherine Casey, that the submission undermines authority of the Department of Defence (DoD):
“The latest submission from the developers of the Kilberry project is a masterclass in corporate arrogance,” she said.
“After being met with a firm, expert rejection from the Department of Defence (DoD), the developers have responded with a patronizing 11-page 'lecture' that treats our national defence forces with absolute contempt.
“The 'aviation briefing' submitted by their UK-based consultant is an insult to the Irish Air Corps. It sneers at our military’s safety concerns, labelling them an 'outdated blanket ban' from 'decades ago'. It is the height of arrogance for a company to tell our sovereign military that their safety protocols are obsolete simply because they stand in the way of their project.
She continued: ”Despite the DoD confirming the mast lies wholly within the Athy Low Flying Tactical Training Area, the developer’s report has the audacity to claim this airspace 'is not used much by DoD'. It is a disgrace that a desk-bound consultant in the UK feels qualified to tell Irish pilots that they don't actually need the very training grounds they use for life-saving manoeuvres at altitudes as low as 100 feet.” Catherine called on Kildare County Council to reject the newly submitted information:
“We are calling on the Planning Authority to reject this bullying. National security is not a negotiable corporate hurdle to be cleared with expensive spin and condescending reports,” she said.
“Bord na Móna needs to realise that our pilots' lives and our national safety are worth more than their bottom line."
Kildare County Council will now assess the submitted material before making a determination.
