Wind turbine planning guidelines
Deputy Healy-Rae asked whether new wind turbine planning guidelines would apply retrospectively and argued the separation distances were too small. The Taoiseach said the guidelines would not apply retrospectively and would only cover new applications.
The draft planning guidelines for wind turbines have been made available. Will these new guidelines apply to applications that have already been made? People in the Gneevgullia area, where there is a wind turbine application already in place, are saying that four times the height of a turbine is not enough distance to have between a dwelling and the turbine. In others words, the turbines are still too close. Four times 150 m is only 600 m and that is too near to a dwelling. What are we going to do about that to take it on board? It is very unfair.
Comment on this
To the best of my knowledge, the guidelines cannot be applied retrospectively. They only apply to new applications. Applications made prior to the new guidelines being approved fall under the old guidelines. Obviously, as is the case with any planning issue, there are differences of opinion as to what the guidelines should be, but the new guidelines are as they stand.