Local residents today welcomed the decision of the Council to refuse permission to increase the height of two wind turbines on Crockbrack Hill, near Kinnagoe Bay, by 24 % to an overall tip height of 132 meters.
The Council’s refusal is based on the new national tourist development the Wild Atlantic Way.
The road passing Crockbrack Hill is now identified as a Scenic Driving Section, a fundamental element of the route, providing the visitor with opportunities to see and experience the best land and seascapes along the route.
Kinnagoe Bay is a Discovery Point, the third point on the Wild Atlantic Way when you start the route from Derry and the North. Kinnagoe Bay was selected on the basis that it provides an exceptional Wild Atlantic experience.
“One of the great joys of living here is the wild, unspoilt countryside and coastline. It is great that this new tourist route is now happening. It is the longest one in the world! People will come to see the wildness of it all. That is why it is called the Wild Atlantic Way not the Industrialised Atlantic Way” said a residents’ spokesperson today.
“Now that the roads around Kinnagoe Bay have a special status as part of the Wild Atlantic Way, the Council’s Tourism policy of ‘not permitting development proposals which would detract from the visual quality/amenity on either the approach roads to, or the views to be had from significant tourist attractions (TOU – P – 3)’ becomes more urgent.
“It is the natural progression now for the areas on either side of the Wild Atlantic Way to become areas ‘not open for consideration’ for wind farms. We are talking to our local Councillors to start this Variation Process immediately in relation to the rest of Crockbrack Hill. The Wild Atlantic Way is a multi – million Euro, international investment seeking to get tourists to Ireland. We need to protect the route so that they see Ireland at her best” the spokesperson added.
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