A LIMERICK campaign group opposing a windfarm in Coolcappa has expressed fears the development will have a detrimental impact on their health.
The Coolcappa Community Action Group protested in Adare last week to raise awareness about the plans by Ballynisky Green Energy for a six-turbine wind farm.
The proposed windfarm, according to the developer, will be “located outside Coolcappa, with an overall height (tower plus blade) of 158 meters, and a hub height (tower) of 90 meters”.
A growing group of locals are objecting to the turbines being erected.
The group cited concerns around the impact of “noise pollution” and “shadow flicker” on their health and livelihoods and said they feared that their homes will be completely “devalued”.
Local mother Mary Barrett, whose family dairy farm is located 560 metres from one of the proposed turbines, said she and her children are “sick to the stomach” at the thought of it.
Despite some in the area supporting the development being built on their land, for an annual fee, Ms Barrett said she and her family are totally opposed to it.
“I’m one of the closest to it,” Ms Barrett said. “I have a young family ranging from 11 years down to 10 months, and my 81–year-old mother lives with us and wouldn’t be of the best of health outside of all this drama.”
“My own personal point of view is that my kids are going to have no future here, and while things may change in 20 years’ time, they may want to move away, right now they want to continue the farming life.”
“With this being so close, our whole future is up in the air.”
Ms Barrett said her family farm “goes back five generations”.
“My father will be dead two years on the 25th of March – I inherited the farm from him, and it was his father’s beforehand.
“I’m glad in a way that he is not here to see what is happening because it would break the man.”
Some within the group have complained they have not been adequately consulted by the developer. They claimed that “shadow flicker is a nuisance and effects health, causing eye strain, headaches, and nausea, and is a serious concern for people diagnosed with epilepsy”.
They also claimed that 2019 draft planning guidelines state that shadow flicker must be eliminated in line with HSE Environmental Health recommendations.
When contacted for comment, a HSE spokeswoman told the Limerick Post that “there is currently no robust evidence to show that wind turbines negatively affect people’s physical health once they are appropriately installed in accordance with guidelines.”
A statement released by the action group called tighter “regulation of windfarms” as “people are suffering across the county”.
The developer told the Limerick Post that the Ballynisky Green Energy project “will harness Ireland’s great wind resource, enable a move away from fossil fuels, and reduce harmful emissions”.
It said it had engaged in “extensive consultation with the community since November 2022, including a public exhibition, door-to-door visits, and information leaflets to local residents and advertisements in the local newspaper”.
“We have offered to meet the Coolcappa Community Action Group, and remain open to engaging with them.”
The developer said that it intended to submit a planning application “in the coming months”, which could be publicly scrutinised.
Regarding concerns in Coolcappa, it said that “we can assure the community that the planned turbines are designed with technology that ensures no shadow flicker will be experienced at dwellings or other local amenities”.
“The project will fully comply with national regulations on noise and, once operational, a comprehensive noise monitoring regime will be undertaken to ensure the proposed development complies with regulations.”
The developer added it will also pump €150,000 annually into a community benefit fund “which will contribute an estimated €2.25million over the first 15 years of operation to projects in the local community”.
