Clonmellon preparing to deal with proposal for solar farm

Kate Pendred

The opening volley has been fired in Clonmellon’s fight against a solar farm and battery storage system on their doorstep, close to the GAA pitch and community centre.

Between 50 and 60 local residents attended a public meeting in the community centre last Wednesday evening at which it was declared that the community must be ready to act as soon as a planning application for the development is lodged.

“We want volunteers and ask that anyone who has expertise in planning, the law and environmental issues to please come forward”, Declan Clarke, one of the organisers of the meeting, urged.

While the core committee will drive this campaign, we will need the support of the whole community if it is to be successful, he added.

It is understood that approximately 10 percent of those present indicated their willingness to serve on the core committee.

The next step is to form the committee, elect officers, carry out in-depth research, and then take the campaign to the wider community.

Mr Clarke told the meeting that information was scant, but warned that they could be looking at 200-300 acres of solar panels, as well as a hazardous battery storage area right beside the village and its 700 residents.

He pointed out that planning permission had already been granted for seven wind turbines and a substation not far from the village. The solar farm and battery storage area are the next phase, but what are phases three and four going to be, where will it end, he asked.

The battery storage area, Mr Clarke claimed, could consist of 80 to 100 metal shipping containers, each the height of a two-storey house, without the roof. He claimed that if the batteries go on fire, the fire cannot be extinguished and could burn for weeks, giving off toxic emissions and forcing residents out of their homes.

There was a suggestion that home insurance premiums could go up if it went ahead. There were concerns about the lifespan of the solar panels and possibility that the community would be left with 300 acres worth of scrap metal and glass.

There was concern too about the disruption and noise pollution during and after construction, and the long-term health implications.

Mr Clarke said that two months ago Statkraft, a Norwegian company, circulated a brochure on the proposed Knockanarragh Green Energy Hub. He said the same company had been granted planning permission for a seven-turbine wind farm between Clonmellon and Delvin.

“There were a handful of objections to the wind farm, but they fell on deaf ears as planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanála,” he said.

He warned that once the planning application is lodged, which could be any time, the local community will have five weeks in which to object.

“We need to be able to hit the ground running, when the planning application is lodged,” he stressed.

Mr Clarke said: “We are not against renewable energy, but we have seven wind turbines going in our area, I think that’s enough.”

He suggested that there are plenty of roof tops, car parks and non-agricultural land on which solar panels could be sited, rather than taking some of the best land in the country out of food production.

A suggestion by the local parish priest, Very Rev David Bradley, that the committee consult community groups that have already gone through the objection process, and learn from them what worked and what did not work, was well received.

Ireland has no guidelines, framework or planning policy for the construction of solar farms, and that makes it an ideal location for solar farms, Mr Clarke maintained.

He believes that being on the border of Meath and Westmeath, Clonmellon is often forgotten by both county councils and, as such, is an easy targets for such developments.

Reference was made to green energy projects near Milltownpass and a data centre proposed for Rochfortbridge, two areas that also straddle two counties.

One member of the audience suggested that targeting such border areas might be a ploy used by potential developers. Another member of the audience referred to the developers’ obligation to make a financial contribution to the local community, quoting a figure of €103,000 a year. It was claimed, however, that there are strict regulations governing how such money is spent, and it was argued that the people of Clonmellon are well capable of raising their own funds and making grant applications.

No public representatives were officially invited to the meeting but Cllrs David Jones, Niall Gaffney and Sarah Reilly sent their apologies.

Mr Clarke said that when the committee is formed, he would hope that they could sit down with all local public representatives from Westmeath and Meath.