Dunnstown project faces 'forceful fight'
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| Image: Two Mile House Says NO! |
The campaign against a battery electric storage system at Dunnstown near Carnalway say they will 'forcefully fight' the appeal of a developer who was refused planning permission for the project, writes Brian Byrne.
In statement this afternoon, 'Two Mile House Says NO!' say they are preparing their observations to the appeal made by Strategic Power Systems to An Bord Pleanala.
Permission for the project was refused by Kildare County Council on a number of grounds — the need for associated infrastructure which has not yet been approved, concerns about fire safety, and insufficient detail on wastewater provision.
According to campaign spokesperson Conor Maguire, the risk of creating precedent for the area and other rural communities across Ireland is causing 'grave apprehension'. He said the group is not opposed to planning for sustainable energy but claims there 'is nothing green' about this project, described in the statement as 'an energy trading exercise' designed to 'turn over a quick profit' for an entrepreneur from another jurisdiction.
The statement calls for the Government and local authorities authorities across Ireland to set clear policy on planning and regulation for such developments, including restricting them to industrial zones, where there is less impact on rural Ireland and residential areas.
As part of the preparation of the observation to the appeal, concerned members of the public are asked to email their concerns to twomilehousesaysno@gmail.com.
A GoFundMe page has been established to build a fighting fund for the campaign.
