Belmullet wave power substation to face Pleanála appeal

Anton McNulty

AN Bord PleanΡla have been asked to rule on the decision to grant planning permission for a 20KV sub station to connect to a wave power test site near Belmullet.
Mayo County Council granted planning permission to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to build a 370 square metre 20KV sub-station and office on a 1.4 hectare site at Cross, Binghamstown, approximately 5km from Belmullet.
The application also includes the installation of five underground electric cables and associated communication cables, which will run from the proposed sub-station for approximately 600m to a cable transition joint bay located at the car park at Belderra Strand.
The project is ancillary to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEIA) Atlantic Marine Energy test site located off Annagh, Belmullet and will be connected through the pre-commercial wave energy test site to the national grid. The purpose of the wave energy test site is to provide a location for the deployment of wave energy machines so that their performance and deployment in generating electricity and their survivability can be tested and demonstrated in open ocean conditions. It is proposed that the test site shall operate for up to 20 years with devices on site intermittently throughout the year.
Mayo County Council received five submissions from local landowners objecting to the proposed development on a number of grounds including visual impact of the development, the impact of the cable joint bay on users of Belderra Strand, and the impact on the value of property.

Objection
In their objection, Theresa and David Gray of Cross, Binghamstown claimed the proposal differs in terms of location, size and nature from that identified in the application for the foreshore licence, which was granted.
While acknowledging that the site differs from that indicated in the foreshore licence application, Mayo County Council stated that the original site was ‘indicative only’ and ‘subsequent developments necessitated the identification of an alternative site in the immediate area’.
Planning permission was granted on November 23 subject to 13 conditions but the decision has been appealed to An Bord PleanΡla by Theresa and David Gray. In their grounds for appeal, they again identified that the location of the proposed development differed from that granted for the foreshore licence and as a resulted it was an unauthorised development.
They also stated that the inclusion of an office complex at the substation facility was contrary to the Council’s Development Plan. They claim this would increase the development footprint by 75 percent and the building would be ‘inconsistent’ with the size to nearby dwelling houses. They also stated it would lead to an increase in traffic along a narrow road and any offices should be located in Belmullet town.
The case is expected to be decided by the beginning of May, 2017.