PLANNING permission has been refused for a £150 million wind farm at Doraville in Co Tyrone, which its developers claim could have generated more than 100 megawatts of green electricity with the potential to power 120,000 homes.
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon confirmed she wasn't allowing the SSE Renewables proposal - the largest for a wind farm ever presented to the department - to proceed at its location within the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
She said it followed "careful consideration" of the Planning Appeals Commission’s report following an inquiry in September last year.
The minister said: “This refusal was a finely balanced decision where I had to weigh up the various benefits with the harm to the local area. I carefully considered both the findings of the independent public inquiry alongside the recommendations of my planning officials.
“I am a huge advocate for renewable energy that will create sustainable infrastructure for future generations. Green infrastructure represents a real opportunity for tackling the climate emergency and helping boost the economy but this should never be at the cost of the surrounding environment.
“In this case 33 wind turbines would cause considerable harm to the landscape interest of a large part of the Sperrin Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its unique archaeological, cultural and tourism assets.
“The economic and environmental benefits of the proposal would not outweigh the harm to these important interests.”
A spokesman for SSE said “We are disappointed with the decision and will consider next steps in the weeks ahead.
“New onshore wind is among the lowest cost options for decarbonising electricity and can play an important role in supporting Northern Ireland’s net zero carbon energy transition.”
The application for the scheme at Doraville (which is about eight miles west of Draperstown) received 2,160 representations, of which all but seven were objections.
