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Wind farm rents could reap €6m for local landowners
The Westmeath Independent - Wednesday, 10th November, 2010 by Deirdre Verney
Five objections already submitted against major Dysart project
Farmers in the Dysart area could earn €6 million in rents from the proposed Seven Hills Wind Farm over its lifetime, planning documents submitted to Roscommon County Council reveal.
The news comes as opposition to the 16 turbines plan intensifies as clinics are held locally by the newly formed Wind Turbine Action Group, South Roscommon to help local people lodge objections to the project, a decision on which is due by December 15 next.
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Five objections have already been lodged by local residents with the local authority in a bid to halt the proposals in their tracks and many more are expected prior to the deadline for submissions.
“Each wind turbine and associated development will generate land rental payments for these landowners on a fixed rent basis over the operational lifetime of the wind farm. Approximately, €250,000 in rent payments will be paid by the developer to the landowners per annum, based on the layout of 16 turbines. Over the lifetime of the project this would equate in excess of €6 million,” the documents lodged by Galetech Energy Ltd confirm of the 13 landowners involved.
In a wide-ranging non-technical summary documents, the backers also state that three properties are located within 500 metres of the proposed turbines, the owners of which are involved in the development, with another 51 properties located within one kilometre of the project.
They estimate that each turbine would save the equivalent of 4,372 tonnes of C02 from being released into the atmosphere every year. Thus, the proposed development of 16 turbines at the site is the equivalent of 69,957 tonnes per annum C02 saving the equivalent of not using 12,813 cars and trucks.
Although the exact size and type turbine has not been chosen until the construction tender and permission is granted, it is thought that the total construction phase of the project will be nine to twelve months in duration. Galetech Energy Ltd anticipated that in excess of 55 people will be employed during the construction phase.
A key feature of the site is its proximity to the electricity transmission system where there is an existing substation in Monksland.
“It is anticipated that the proposed wind farm development will be most likely be connected to this grid node...and it is the applicant’s intention that the connection to the national grid would be by underground cable. It is anticipated that the wind farm would be in operation by 2015 subject to planning and a grid connection offer.”
The Wind Turbine Action Group, South Roscommon appealed to the public if they are unhappy with aspects of the 16 turbine project to make their submissions in writing to the council as soon as possible. The group will hold clinics this Saturday, November 13 from 6pm to 10pm in Dysart Community Centre to help people draft objection letters. All objections must be submitted to Roscommon County Council in the next 10 days.
“This is your last chance and this is your only chance,” warned Chairman Fearghal McHugh who explained that objection letters and submissions were the only action available to people to stop the development.
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