40 hectares of trees to be cut to facilitate proposed wind turbines in Mayo townlands

Planning permission is being sought to develop 16 135-metre high wind turbines and an accompanying grid infrastructure via An Commisiún Pleanála for north Mayo - despite opposition from Mayo County Council on numerous grounds. 

The proposed wind turbines are earmarked for Mayo townlands just a few kilometres outside of Ballina, Killala and Ballycastle.  

The development, if approved, would be located at Ballynaleck, Barnhill, Biloos (on the Mayo-Roscommon-border), Carrickanass (a village by Killala), Carrowmore (an area just outside Manulla) and Lacken.

Following a pre-planning application meeting with the company behind the proposed development, Mayo County Council formally expressed their opposition to the plan. 

A note from the meeting states: “The  turbines  will  be  visible  to / from  the Céide Fields which  is  on  the  tentative  UNESCO Tentative World Heritage Site.”  

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“The full extent of the Céide Fields archaeology site is unknown and may reach as far as the windfarm site.”

The council further raised concerns that the traffic generated by the development (construction materials, labour-force,   turbine deliveries etc) "will cause serious disruption to local road use.” 

Following on from this, the local authority made it clear to Constant Energy Limited that they “would not be in favour of such a proposal at this location.”

Constant Energy Limited has been able to bypass the normal planning process by lodging the appeal directly with An Comisiún Pleanála as a Sustainable Infrastructure Development project. 

The development plans state the building would require a substantial forestry clearing of approximately 40 hectares (400,000 square metres) of coniferous trees. 

The planning permission application states that if successful in obtaining planning permission, Constant Energy Limited will compensate for the tree felling by replanting trees. 

The renewable energy company hosted a public consultation informing the public about the development at Ballina in 2023. 

In the interim, the Lacken Ballycastle Protection Group has emerged opposing the development of the wind turbines in the locality. 

The group will be hosting a meeting in the Lacken Community Centre on October 15 to discuss the community’s concerns regarding the windfarm. 

At present, Mayo currently hosts Ireland’s largest onshore windfarm - located in north Mayo’s Bellacorick.

In March 2024, the county generated over seven percent of the country’s total wind energy.