Objecting to a planning application for an electrical substation.

makavelithedon

Within the next few weeks, in the area that I live in, there is due to be a planning application to Mayo Co Co for the construction of an electrical substation. The potential development is to be approx 1.25 sq km, consisting of a large block building, lots of transformers and other electrical equipment.
The majority of local residents, myself included, are completely opposed to the development for a number of reasons. The potential health issues, noise issues, the decrease in value of any adjoining land/property etc etc.
The proposed site is very close to a popular beach (yards away) and
some of the surrounding land would fall under SAC.
I solicit your advice as regards orchestrating a successful objection to the planning application. Can this be done as a group effort/objection?
Basically guys any relevant advice at all would be seriously appreciated.
Thank you for your time.

Poor Uncle Tom

IMO, you would be best to state clearly and precisely your concerns and make your objections/observations to any planning application separately. Multiple signatures on one submission is still seen as just one submission. Circulating a generic letter of objection and signing and submitting it individually can be seen as 'rent a mob' type of objection and can be treated as being vexatious. Clear, concise, hand written or typed it doesn't matter, individual submissions are always best. Any submission/observation should be made within 5 weeks of the date of submission of a valid planning application.

Each valid submission during the planning stage is entitled to make an appeal to An Bord Pleanala, if the planning application is successful. It is worth getting a professional involved at appeals stage, for ease of reference to the different sections of the planning act, etc., etc.

rayjdav

Would agree with PUT here re the professional involvement. I have seen a good few projects with group submissions, without obvious professional direction, and they have a tendancy to ramble off the point and loose the focus of the objective, and have a tendancy to be put aside by coco/bord as rent-a-mob.
By all means if a number of locals want to submit objections individually, good idea but at least one, the major submission, should be done by a professional, imo. They can also go through the application to see if all documents, EIS's if required, are submitted and possibly argue points from drawings etc.
Could be the best few €€ the community will spend.

makavelithedon

Thanks for the input guys much appreciated. How much would an objection cost? I realize different county councils may have different rates so I am just looking for an approximate figure.
The development in question is an onshore substation for an offshore wave power/ renewable energy system and I would presume it would be the SEAI that would be making the application.
Even with determined local opposition is there much chance of stopping this??
It will ruin an area of natural beauty, which has remained virtually untouched, without any benefit to the area.

sydthebeat

its costs €20 to make a submission

if you want to bring the decision to An Bord Pleanala, after the local authority planning process, it will cost €220.

SEAI are a government quango, they will not be making this application. It will be made by a private company.

Whether or not it will ruin an area of natural beauty is to be determined. Im fairly sure a project of this size will require an Environmental Impact Assessment to be carried out, which will have a significant bearing on whether or not the impact will be substantial.

In the bigger picture, government policy is pushing towards becoming less enslaved by fossil fuel powers. Off shore energy generation is one possible solution.

If objecting you need to make sure your arguments hold valid and do not read as 'NIMBY'ism.

makavelithedon

Thanks again this is what I am hoping for. Relevant input from knowledgeable individuals, much appreciated.

No6

Are you sure its going to Mayo Co Council, if its for an offshore windfarm it may possibly be viewed as strategic infastructure and go directly to An Board Pleanala.

Your best chance of winning an appeal on an application like this is to hire a top planning consultant who has a track record in these type of applications, but you will spend a large amount of money on someone and still loose. Be very very careful. What beach is it btw?

makavelithedon

No6 wrote: »

Are you sure its going to Mayo Co Council, if its for an offshore windfarm it may possibly be viewed as strategic infastructure and go directly to An Board Pleanala.

Your best chance of winning an appeal on an application like this is to hire a top planning consultant who has a track record in these type of applications, but you will spend a large amount of money on someone and still loose. Be very very careful. What beach is it btw?

No I am not sure at all about it going to the council, are there different procedures for objecting to the planning application if it goes directly to an bord pleanala? I have no issues with the offshore work, its the transformers/substation/power lines i take issue with. We own land bordering the site on two sides if that makes any difference??
Belderra/Cross beach, close to the village of Binghamstown in the Belmullet area... popular with surfers/walkers all year round,

bertie 56

You can have a chat with these guys, they went through this and will know for sure what to do :

http://www.shelltosea.com/

BryanF

makavelithedon wrote: »

No I am not sure at all about it going to the council, are there different procedures for objecting to the planning application if it goes directly to an bord pleanala? I have no issues with the offshore work, its the transformers/substation/power lines i take issue with. We own land bordering the site on two sides if that makes any difference??
Belderra/Cross beach, close to the village of Binghamstown in the Belmullet area... popular with surfers/walkers all year round,

What's been suggested by no.6, ray, syd, and Tom above are valid points ( all of whom will have prepared similar objections in the construction sector)

To summarise
> get the communit/ interested parties together ( get organised)
> do it quick as once an application goes in you have about four weeks to lodge a complaint
> only pick valid reasons to object, personnel stories carry little sway
> if you can employ an experience planning consultant
> s/he will advise on valid reasons and each of you can object individually as well as getting the pl consultant to make a technical submission


Stop writing here, wasting time and start by organising your neighbours and making a plan to get what you want

Personnelly I think any renewable energy infrastructure should go ahead . The surfers can still surf, the swimmers swim and the walkers... The not in my back yard approach has to stop some where and IM personal opinion clean renewable energy is ok by me. I wonder if you went to the planning authority was this place earmarked for the substation on the development plan?

No6

bertie 56 wrote: »

You can have a chat with these guys, they went through this and will know for sure what to do :

http://www.shelltosea.com/

Bertie the OP lives in the same area as these people and I am sure knows a lot of them personally, thay also havn't suceeded in their aims as they were far too extreme in my opinion.

Current EU and Government policy is strongly in favour of renewables and they are investing billions in the infastructure to support it, this development will be part of it and the OP will have a difficult time overturning any planning decision to grant this without early and really good professional support.

sydthebeat

an bord pleanala recently granted permission to extend a wind farm in tipperary, and over turned a kerry co co decision to refuse a wind farm.

thats the way strategic energy infrastructure is going.