The result!!!

Our solicitors report that An Bord Pleanála has confirmed that it will not contest or oppose the case and concedes to the High Court the making of a High Court Order quashing the An Bord Pleanála decision to grant planning permission to Wingleaf Ltd for the development of up to 7 wind turbines and associated works

We did it!!

The story so far...

We have been granted leave to proceed to the high court with our application for Judicial Review. The €30,000 costs to date were crowdfunded thanks to the generosity of hundreds of people. We now need another €65,000 to pursue the application. If you are able to, please join us in this fight to SAVE GOUGANE BARRA by making a contribution, no matter how small.

STORY

An Bord Pleanála (ABP) has granted planning permission for 7 enormous (178m) wind turbines in the locality of beautiful Gougane Barra, Co. Cork. If they go ahead, they will be visible from the Gougane Barra skyline, altering the magic and tranquility of this unique place of peace and pilgrimage forever.

The project is set to include a 38KV substation and “4 no. battery storage containers” of unspecified technology; there’s been no discussion of fire risk or a mitigation plan for fire, should it occur, and there have been a number of serious fire incidents reported across the world involving so-called Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

Cork County Council rejected the initial planning application out of hand. Unusually, they urged ABP to reject the developer’s appeal. The ABP appeal inspector, who visited the site, recommended in the strongest possible terms that the appeal should be refused. At the beginning of February 2022, ABP overturned that refusal by Cork County Council and granted permission.

Not only will the turbines be visible from a number of angles day and night, including red warning lights on each of them, there will also be constant noise and flicker from them.

We recently spent €30,000 to prepare an application to the High Court for leave to apply for Judicial Review of ABP’s shock decision to go against Cork County Council and the recommendations of its own inspector in granting permission. On 27/04 we were granted leave to seek Judicial Review in the High Court in Dublin. This is a huge result for a small community group and this case now may well prove a landmark in Planning Law in Ireland. Sometimes you can change the future for the better.

To proceed we need to crowdfund another €65,000. We ask you to make a donation big or small because all amounts count!
Please donate now!

Save Gougane Barra

Following the shock decision by An Bord Pleanála, overturning the Cork County Council refusal to grant permission for a 178m-high windfarm, to be visible from the Gougane Barra skyline, and ignoring the advice of their own Senior Inspector, things have been developing rapidly.
• A full meeting of Cork County Council on 14 February unanimously declared their opposition to the plan.
• A petition launched on change.org in opposition to the windfarm has attracted over 10,000 signatures in just over a week. People from over 40 countries around the world have signed, establishing this as far more than a local issue.
• The story has been gaining huge media attention locally, nationally and internationally. Opposition to the project reflects a huge spectrum of views, including those who support wind energy but are appalled by the erosion of public trust which arises from this kind of poor decision-making.
The local community has already sought legal advice to evaluate the case for judicial review to challenge the decision (the legal means for overturning it). We now plan to take An Bord Pleanála to judicial review in the high court.

On 27th April, our application at the high court for leave to ask for a Judicial Review was granted! (We spent €30,000 to reach this stage, but it is a success!) We believe our chances of winning this case are now strong.
The further cost of the judicial review is another €65,000.

The money needs to be raised urgently.
Raising this money is a difficult challenge for a small community. We are inviting everyone touched by the magic of Gougane Barra to join us in this fight to preserve it by making a contribution to the cause, no matter how small.

While this campaign is specific to beautiful Gougane Barra, we believe that the outcome of the case may change the way in which small communities are affected by similar development plans in the future, so please join our fight.

As the ancient Irish proverb goes: Ní neart go cur le chéile – there is no strength without unity.
Please follow this link: to help us to protect Gougane Barra for everyone forever.
If we exceed our goal, any excess funds will be used to enhance the community in the locality of Gougane Barra, for the residents and the many visitors who come here every year to share this haven with us.

where your money goes

We will pledge any funds donated to our application and Judicial Review case with the Irish High Court. A Judicial review is a way for the High Court to supervise the lower courts, tribunals and other administrative bodies to ensure that they make their decisions properly and in accordance with the law. A successful Judicial Review can stop this Wind Farm project from progressing.

Any Donations left after our action will be used to enhance the community in the locality of Gougane Barra, for the residents and the many visitors who come here every year to share this haven with us.

Save Gougane Barra Fund

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