120 objections to €500m energy plant

Almost 120 objections have been lodged with Westmeath County Council against plans to construct a €500m energy facility at Rochfortbridge.

Around 70 submissions were lodged against Lumcloon Energy Ltd’s planning application for a power plant fuelled by natural gas, and around 50 were against the firm’s application for a battery storage facility on the 50-acre site in the townlands of Kiltotan, Collinstown and Oldtown.

The chairman of the Rochfortbridge Power Plant Committee (RPPC), Sean Staunton, said he was surprised at the number of objections lodged against both applications.

“The amount of individual objections surprised us. We made a fairly big group one [objecting to the power plant] for the people of Rochfortbridge and Tyrrellspass, which had 300 signatures attached to it, and there were a number of smaller group ones as well. It just shows the amount of people concerned about it.” In their submission against the power plant, which according to Lumcloon’s planning application would be a “back-up” to the power system and would only be operational when renewable generation falls off suddenly, the group expressed concerns about the “possible health effects” of “air pollutants”. The group also claimed the construction of an industrial development “would destroy an important health and wellbeing resource”.

“The roads in the area have become popular as walks for those who enjoy the beauty that surrounds our village and walk our dogs in a peaceful rural setting – this aspect of living in Rochfortbridge was a key factor for many of us choosing to move here.”

The submission also claims the development would devalue property and could affect wireless broadband and mobile phone services, and is in conflict with policies in the county development plan.

In its objection against the battery storage facility, the RPPC said that the site is an “inappropriate location” for industrial development and that it will have “adverse effects on local amenities”.

The group say there is a “lack of scrutiny” independently assessing the safety of battery storage facilities. Citing a documentary on RTÉ Radio that found there is no independent agency in Ireland to assess battery storage facilities, the group says that “it is incredibly disconcerting that people are expected to live as close as 60 metres from the boundary of the development”.

Locals weren’t the only ones to express concerns about the suitability of the power plant. In its submission, An Taisce said that the development was “incompatible” with national policy on climate change and recent legislation relating to low carbon development.

An Taisce said that while natural gas is touted as a clean fossil fuel, “this statement is profoundly misleading”.

Environmental activist Peter Sweetman also lodged an objection against the construction of the power plant. Mr Sweetman is one of the best known activists in the country and has an impressive record when it comes to opposing developments on environmental grounds.

Mr Staunton says that the group was heartened by the news that Mr Sweetman had lodged an objection and that it will make sure that the council will “forensically examine” every aspect of Lumcloon’s application before making a decision.

The decision due date for power plant is next Monday, November 15; it is expected that the council will request further information and the decision will be delayed. The decision due date for the storage facility is November 23.