Extra documentation has been submitted as part of the planning application for a 17-turbine wind farm in East Kerry.
In December 2024, Kerry County Council recommended that the independent national planning body, then called An Bórd Pleanála, refuse permission for the Cummeennabuddoge wind farm.
Councillors were concerned that granting permission for a wind farm in an area not zoned for wind energy would set an unwanted precedent.
The proposed wind farm would be developed by Cummeennabuddoge Wind DAC, a project by SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland, the 50:50 partnership between Coillte and ESB Networks.
The company is seeking permission to build and operate a 17-turbine wind farm on lands at Cummeennabuddoge, Clydaghroe, Glashacormick and Cummeenavrick, all in County Kerry.
It also includes a grid connection into county Cork, near Ballyvourney.
An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) have now been submitted as part of the application.
The NIS concludes that, with mitigation measures in place, the project would not adversely affect any protected nature sites.
The EIAR states that environmental impacts would occur.
However, it says that, with mitigation measures in place, most environmental impacts would be reduced to acceptable or non-significant levels.
Overall, it finds that the project’s climate and renewable energy benefits outweigh the residual environmental effects.
It concludes that the development could proceed without unacceptable environmental harm.
