Major boost for plans to build biggest wind farm in south east in county Kilkenny
Plans to build a the largest wind farm in the south east outside a village in south Kilkenny have been given a significant boost.
It comes after An Bord Pleanála ruled that the proposed wind farm, which would be located just 2km from Ballyhale, is a “strategic infrastructure project”.
This effectively means the developers, An Coillte and ART Generation, can bypass the planning process with Kilkenny County Council and make their application directly to An Bord Pleanála.
If granted permission by the national planning authority, the wind farm will be spread over 3,460 acres of Coillte land at Castlebanny.
The 22 wind turbines would have a maximum height of 185 metres and produce 115 megawatts (MW) of power.
The wind farm would stretch out over 6km between Ballyhale and Mullinavat, just 2km from the M9 Motorway.
