2460210
for development. The development will consist of: (i) All works (within County Kilkenny) associated with the connection of the proposed Seskin Wind Farm to the national electricity grid, via underground 38kV electrical cabling within the public road corridor to the existing Kilkenny 110kV substation; (ii) Provision of 16 no. joint bays, communication chambers and earth sheath links along the underground electrical cabling route; (iii) Reinstatement of the road and track surfaces above cabling trench along existing roads and tracks; (iv) Carriageway strengthening works at ‘Black Bridge’ on the L1835 / L3037 (Protected Structure RPS Ref. D84); (v) A new temporary access road off the N78 to the L30372 in the townlands of Cloneen, Co. Kilkenny to facilitate the delivery of turbine components and other abnormal loads; (vi) All ancillary apparatus and site development works above and below ground.
Core Refusal Reason
The application was refused due to significant deficiencies in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS), specifically regarding the assessment of cumulative impacts, road safety, and the lack of a rationalised approach to grid infrastructure in the region.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The submitted EIAR and NIS are fundamentally deficient as they fail to provide a clear, accessible assessment of the project's specific impacts on County Kilkenny or its cumulative effects with other permitted and proposed energy projects.
- There is insufficient technical data to ensure the development will not adversely affect the safety and capacity of the national road network (N78, N10) or the structural integrity of local bridges, including the protected 'Black Bridge'.
- The proposal fails to demonstrate a rationalised approach to infrastructure, potentially leading to multiple separate road excavations for concurrent projects, and lacks a robust assessment of alternative routes or connection methods.