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31 Oct 2025
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31 Oct 2025
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A High Court judge has ordered that permission be overturned for a proposed €70m Kildare wind farm.
In his judgement released on December 16, Judge Richard Humphreys quashed planning permission for the 12-turbine facility at Drehid, near Carbury.
Five months ago, An Bord Pleanála said it would consent to a court order overturning permission. However, the developers behind the project, North Kildare Wind Farm Ltd, wanted the plans to be reassessed by the board.
On December 16, Judge Humphreys denied the company's request to resubmit the plans to An Bord Pleanála.
Lorraine Quinn and environmental NGO, Eco Advocacy CLG, took the judicial review case against the board’s decision to grant permission.
Ms Quinn and Eco Advocacy claimed the original An Bord Pleanála decision did not comply with wind energy guidelines in the 2000 Planning and Development Act.
They claimed the board failed to carry out an appropriate assessment of the proposal, in accordance with EU directives.
Concerns were also raised about possible noise levels.
They also accused the board of failing to consider the impact the project would have on a nearby solar farm.
North Kildare Wind Farm Group disputed these statements and claimed any delays in developing the project would impact it’s commercial viability.
North Kildare Windfarm Ltd wanted to erect the turbines with a tip height of up to 169 metres as well as an on-site electricity substation in the townlands of Ballynamullagh, Coolree, Drehid, Dunfierth, Killyon, Kilmurry and Mulgeeth.
More than 370 objections, many of them group observations, were lodged with Kildare County Council when the plans were submitted on December 18, 2018.
The local authority refused permission on December 19, 2019 due to concerns over the condition of the road network.
This was appealed by the applicants to An Bord Pleanála on January 23, 2020.
The Kildare Environment Awareness Group and Lorraine Quinn also contacted the board to register their concerns about the development.
The board granted permission on October 3, 2020 with 16 conditions attached.
The local community then started the legal process of undertaking a judicial review of that decision.
Local resident, Ms Quinn, and Eco Advocacy CLG then initiated the legal action.
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