A chara, – An application to An Bord Pleanála for the Wicklow Codling Wind Farm was published on September 2nd. Accordingly, Saturday’s Irish Times front-page photo of the Poolbeg chimneys is very timely. These chimney stacks, at 200 metres height, help us to visualise the size of the proposed wind turbines off Wicklow. At around 300 metres height to the tip, the proposed turbines would be approximately 50 per cent higher than the Poolbeg chimneys. The application is for over 70 turbines.
Internationally, the potential visual impact of offshore wind farms is recognised and of major concern. A 2019 report on this topic was prepared for Natural Resources Wales. The researchers examined the visual impact of various turbines from different scenarios. Their principal conclusion was that wind turbines with a tip height of 300 metres or more would have a low visual impact if located at least 44km from the shore. However, at 32km the impact would be significant.
The Wicklow Codling Wind farm would be located a mere 13km to 22km off the coast, unless of course the planning application is not approved.
Our nearest neighbour, unlike us, has many years experience of off shore wind projects. The Dogger Bank wind farm currently in the process of construction, 130 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast, when fully developed, will be the largest wind farm in the world. This is the type of project suitable for enormous turbines.
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Building such large turbines so close to the Wicklow coast would be environmental vandalism. – Is mise,
EUGENE HORGAN,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.