Project Overview
Bord na Móna and SSE Renewables are proposing to develop a wind farm on Lemanaghan Bog located in North West Offaly.
The proposed development will be known as Lemanaghan Wind Farm
and will have an installed output of 80-100MW. Subject to acquiring planning consent, once operational, the proposed Lemanaghan Wind Farm will generate a volume of electricity equivalent to the average annual electrical demand of circa 55,000 Irish homes.
Lemanaghan Bog comprises an area of c. 1,200 hectares. Only approximately 5% of this area will be used for the wind farm development footprint, so much of the land area will not be required by the development and can be utilised for other purposes, such as biodiversity and amenity.
For further information on the proposed development please see some frequently asked questions below.
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Resulting from the development of the final wind turbine layout there are 15 turbines proposed for the Lemanaghan Wind Farm project.
To view the Final Wind Turbine Layout Map, please click here.
The proposed turbines will have an overall blade tip height of up to 220 metres.
The turbine layout has been designed with a minimum setback distance of 4 times the tip height (880 metres) to any sensitive receptors.
It is envisaged that a planning application will be lodged in the coming months for the proposed development. It is intended to submit the planning permission application directly to An Bord Pleanála, under the provisions of the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006. An initial approach is therefore being made to An Bord Pleanála seeking a determination in relation to the Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) status, or otherwise, of the proposed wind farm development.
Lemanaghan Bog compromises of circa 1,200 hectares. Only approximately 5% of this area will be used for turbine bases, crane hard-standings and access tracks, so much of the land area will not be required by the development. This means that it can be utilised for other purposes, such as biodiversity and amenity.
The electricity generated by the turbines will be transmitted directly onto Ireland’s National Grid which is managed by EirGrid for distribution around the country. The proposed development will make a significant contribution to Irelands Climate Action Plan 2024, which has a set a target of 9GW of onshore wind capacity by 2030.
Lemanaghan Bog and the surrounding areas have a rich archaeological history which has been and will continue to be taken into account during all stages of the project. Furthermore, the archaeological history of Lemanaghan has been reflected in the amenity proposals for the site.
It is planned to incorporate aspects of the archaeological history of the site into the proposed interpretation panels that will be strategically located throughout the site to guide, inform and maximise enjoyment of the site for all users. These will include place markers introducing the archaeological importance of the site to visitors and lecterns signs with information on archaeological finds.
The proposed development, including the Draft Amenity Plan, will not impact on areas of archaeological heritage importance. The amenity proposals will tie in with and complement the proposed wind farm infrastructure. The proposed amenity infrastructure will also link with, or provide opportunities for future connectivity with, settlements and sites of interest in the wider community.
The archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage of Lemanaghan Bog, and its surrounds, will be detailed and potential impacts assessed as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) that will accompany the planning application for this proposed development, and this will be publicly available once the planning application has been submitted.