Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm

Pre-Application Community Consultation 

This project website provides information about the proposed Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm as part of the Pre-Application Community Consultation process. It will be updated as more information becomes available. Please scroll down to find out more. 

If you would like to receive project news, please use our online comment form and share your contact details, or come along and meet the team at our drop-in information open day on Tuesday 14 April at Killen Community Hall.

Location 

The proposed Slieveglass Extension development is located in the Co. Tyrone townland of Killoan (within the Fermanagh & Omagh District Council area) and the townland of Bullock Park (within the Derry City & Strabane District Council area). The site is directly adjacent to the operational Slieveglass Wind Farm, which is owned and operated by Energia Renewables. 

The location has been identified as having high capacity for wind energy. It has been carefully selected based on feasibility assessments, site investigations and key planning and environmental considerations.

Site statistics

The proposed development will consist of 5 turbines with a maximum tip height of up to 150 metres. Once operational, the 21.5 MW Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm will generate enough renewable electricity to meet the average annual needs of around 16,000 additional Northern Ireland households.

Renewable energy projects like this proposed wind farm development are key to achieving NI Climate Action targets, ensuring security of electricity supply, reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels and providing lower and predictable long-term electricity prices, which are needed to stabilise the market.

Site layout

The development will have a proposed operational lifetime of up to 40 years and will help Northern Ireland to achieve its Climate Action targets and increase security of energy supply.

Project plans include:

• New access tracks
• Extension and upgrade of existing tracks
• Crane hardstanding areas
• Turbine foundations
• Control building and compound
• Underground cables
• Site entrance via existing entrance to Slieveglass Wind Farm
• Associated ancillary infrastructure
• Delivery haul route improvements, including passing bays

Site assessments

An environmental impact assessment, presented in the form of an Environmental Statement, will be submitted as part of the planning applications. This assessment will consider a range of potential impacts, including:

• Noise
• Shadow flicker
• Landscape and visual impact
• Population and human health
• Terrestrial and aquatic ecology, bats and ornithology
• Land and soil
• Water
• Air quality and climate
• Telecommunications, aviation and utility infrastructure
• Traffic and transport
• Archaeology and cultural heritage

The Environmental Statement will assess cumulative and combined factors, including operational noise, shadow flicker and visual impacts.

Landscape and visual impact

We have created a set of preliminary photomontages, which are visual representations of what the proposed turbines will look like from different viewpoints around the site.

Click to view:

• Photomontage viewpoint map
• Photomontage Booklet 1 
• Photomontage Booklet 2 
• Photomontage Booklet 3 

Please note: These photomontages are best viewed on a large screen.

Nearby wind farms

The proposed Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm site is directly adjacent to the existing Slieveglass Wind Farm, which has been operational since 2018. There are a number of other operational and consented wind farms within a 5 km radius, including:

• Castlecraig Wind Farm  (2.4 km distance)
• Bin Mountain Wind Farm (2.5 km distance)
• Lough Hill Wind Farm (2.7 km distance)

Map of local wind farms

Noise monitoring locations around site

Noise impact assessment

Wind turbine technology and design have significantly improved over the last decade, resulting in improvements to operational noise levels. 

A detailed noise monitoring and assessment programme is being undertaken in accordance with best practice guidance. Background noise levels have been monitored at a number of representative locations around the site to provide a baseline against which predicted wind farm noise levels can be compared. 

Noise limits will be strictly adhered to by the proposed wind farm development and will be controlled by planning conditions, which remain in force for the operational lifetime of a wind farm.

Shadow flicker assessment

Shadow flicker can occur when rotating turbine blades cast a flickering shadow into buildings through narrow openings, such as windows, when the sun is low in the sky at sunrise or sunset.

A specialist shadow flicker assessment, using a computer modelling programme, will calculate the potential incidence of shadow flicker based on turbine position and dimensions.

Best practice guidance recommends that shadow flicker at neighbouring properties should not exceed 30 hours per year or 30 minutes per day. These shadow flicker limits will be strictly adhered to by the proposed wind farm development.

Existing Slieveglass Wind Farm

Map of nearby quarries

Haulage

An assessment of the potential transportation impacts of the proposed development is being carried out. These impacts include the movement of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) to and from site during construction, using the existing Slieveglass Wind Farm entrance on Bullock Park Road.

Stone, concrete and aggregate will be sourced from local quarries within 30km of the site. 

Turbine delivery route

The transport assessment will also review the delivery route for abnormal loads, including large wind turbine components. It is anticipated that these components will be shipped into the Port of Larne and transported via motorway and A-class road networks before using local roads on approach to the site from Enniskillen and Castlederg.

Part of the wind farm construction works will include some permanent upgrades and temporary alterations to local roads, including passing bays.

A traffic management plan will be put in place to manage construction traffic safely and efficiently. Our community engagement team will liaise with residents and businesses to minimise disruption. We will post updates on our project website and advertise our free text messaging service before the start of construction.

Map of proposed turbine delivery route

Pre-school outdoor play area, Co. Fermanagh

Community benefit fund

We want local people to see and feel the benefit of renewable energy through our wind farm benefit funds, which support local community group projects, clubs and services.

The Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm community benefit fund will be designed to meet the needs of the local area and will be administered by an independent charitable trust on behalf of Energia.

Slieveglass Wind Farm already operates an annual fund which opens for grant applications every autumn. The Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm fund will boost Energia’s local community investment programme and will begin allocating grants one year after the start of commercial operation.

Planning process

Due to the location of the proposed development, which straddles two council areas, we will be submitting planning applications to both Fermanagh & Omagh District Council (wind farm site) and Derry City & Strabane District Council (wind farm access).

Once planning applications have been submitted, local advertisement and neighbour notification will take place and there will be an opportunity for members of the public to make formal observations to the relevant planning authority at that time.

Did you know?

We’re often asked why turbines are getting taller.

The proposed Slieveglass Extension Wind Farm will consist of 5 turbines with a maximum tip height of 150 metres. 

Thanks to advances in technology, today’s taller turbines generate more electricity than older models, enabling wind farms to achieve maximum capacity with fewer turbines overall – improving efficiency while reducing land take and infrastructure requirements.

We have prepared a sheet with other frequently asked questions - and answers.  If you can’t find the information you are looking for, please fill out our online feedback form, add your contact details and we’ll get back to you.

Click here for FAQs

Download our project brochure

We have prepared a project information brochure, which you can view and download here.

Working with schools

The Energia Renewables Operations team are happy to facilitate school visits or classroom talks on renewable energy:

• Discover… how wind turbines generate electricity
• Look… inside a turbine tower
• Learn… how drones play a key role in turbine maintenance
• Explore... the need for climate action and energy transition
• Think... about a career in renewable energy