County Derry wind farm campaign group raise concerns over community grants

The Save Benbradagh Group has raised concerns that wind energy companies are 'mistaking receipt of community compensation grants as an overall community acceptance of industrialising the rural landscape where we all live, when this is not the case for the vast majority of the community'.

A spokesperson for the campaign group said: “Whilst it is essential to see local community groups and charities do well and prosper – community organisations should not be disadvantaged if they object to the whole community getting stripped of key natural, tourism and heritage assets, and cultural identity as this does not align with the whole idea of shared community for everyone.

“Organisations are already benefiting from quite a number of wind farms in the area, therefore a balance needs to be achieved to ensure the entire community is not further disadvantaged by the influx of more wind farms, and this is not something we can rely on the wind companies to manage.

“Wind farms already have quite a presence in our area, a fact which they are using to justify further development to filter into our valued natural rural heritage and spaces. Take Banagher windfarm for example, despite being rejected by Causeway Coast Planners, RES the developer, is still trying to push ahead with what was deemed a very 'harmful and damaging development', and ignoring the official and informed decision of the planners, the elected representatives and the views and objections of the public and many community groups. They are appealing against the refusal to allow the wind farm at Banagher and will have the resources of very skilled lawyers to help them.

“We now find ourselves in the position of being at the mercy of a judge, and a cherished haven for wildlife and recreation could be in the hands of foreign developers who will use the landscape while making eye watering profits, and once they are done… they will pass it to the next highest foreign bidder. Only recently Evishagaran windfarm at the rear of Benbradagh, developed by ABO wind, was sold on to Italian petrochemical company ERG, who also bought Craiggore windfarm at Legavallon Pot, which was developed by RES renewables - it’s like a game of pass the parcel.”

The spokesperson continued: “It’s important to remember as well that these community ‘benefits’ are an essential part of how the wind companies remain ‘tax efficient’ which conveniently gives the impression that there is community acceptance for industrialising rural areas of high scenic beauty, turning them into windfarm factories, and for what?. Falling house prices, depleted natural environments and wildlife, peat hills polluted with thousands of tonnes of concrete with the potential to pollute waters and a completely changed landscape that will have a detrimental impact on the wider community and local businesses for both present and future generations. Let us be realistic about this, there are no long term winnings or gains for the vast majority of people in this area.

“It is also worth noting that despite renewables currently making up approx. 50% of Northern Ireland's electricity generation, the cost of electricity has remained double of what it was a few years ago, with renewable companies continuing to make record profits whilst families, local businesses and organisations, schools and public sector, all struggle with inflated living costs.

“Whilst windfarm operators parade their good deeds, it is facilitated by money they are effectively stealing from struggling and increasingly-stretched NI households, businesses and public sector, as a result of the continued inflated prices they charge. This is simply unchecked profiteering, dressed up as charity and goodwill via community-benefit funds.”