Plans for Laois wind farm approved 10 years ago are again being assessed

Plans for the 18 turbine Cullenagh Wind Farm in Laois are again being assessed ten years after it was first granted planning permission.  

“The Cullenagh Wind Farm site is located between Ballyroan and Timahoe and comprises three Coillte land holdings which are of similar size, with the more elevated northern and central land parcels at Cullenagh Mountain.

As planned, the wind farm will comprise 18 wind turbines with a maximum tip height of 131.5m. It will have the potential to generate enough clean energy to power around 20,000 homes, saving 33,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum that would otherwise have been created by fossil fuels,” a website dedicated to the project states. 

The proposed Cullenagh Wind Farm project received planning permission in 2014 when the project was part of the Coillte renewable energy portfolio. In 2021, Coillte and ESB came together to form the joint venture FuturEnergy Ireland, and this project transferred to the new company as part of the portfolio. 

Now FutureEnergy is looking at options to progress the project. 

“As with the passage of time, a review of the original project proposal is being undertaken by the team to assess the role that Cullenagh could play in assisting with the national requirement for decarbonisation of the energy system.  As part of this review, the team are assessing various aspects in relation to the size and scope of the project, which include the project site, and transportation and grid routes.  

FuturEnergy Ireland is committed to delivering projects in a fair and meaningful way which will create a broad range of benefits nationally, regionally and locally, including  a significant Community Benefit Fund for the local area and environs,” a spokesperson for FuturEnergy Ireland said. 

“Should a revised project proposal be brought forward, FuturEnergy Ireland will share the updated details with the local community and stakeholders along with details of an extensive community engagement programme in advance of any future revised planning application being made,” they added. 

The wind farm project was mentioned in documents lodged with Laois County Council as part of an application for a bridge over the River Stradbally on the grounds of the Cosby Estate. That bridge is being proposed to help farmers access the Maltings with their grain during the Electric Picnic, which has been brought forward this year. 

Documents lodged with the planning application for the bridge stated that the route could be used to transport wind turbine blades for the Cullenagh Wind Farm project.