Clare County Council yesterday refused planning permission for a wind-farm development 8 km from Ennis because of fears over the safety of aircraft using Shannon Airport.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) had opposed the proposal by brothers and farmers, Mr John and Mr Tom Killoughrey to develop a two-turbine wind-farm 1 km north of the village of Ballyea.
The IAA told the council the proposed wind-farm had the potential to degrade the performance of Shannon Airport surveillance radar equipment, and thereby would affect the service provided to air control in the Shannon region.
The IAA stated that the windfarm's turbines would be illuminated by both Shannon Airport and Woodcock Hill Radar Stations thereby "having the potential to cause errors in the accurate determination of aircraft positions due to the reflection of radar signals".
Arising from the IAA's fears, the council's planner in the case stated that the council "cannot be satisfied that the proposed development would not be a threat to public safety".
The council refused permission because of concerns the development could give rise to electronic interference to the radar and navigational aids at Shannon Airport.
The wind-farm is outside the council's "no-go" area for wind-farms in Clare. However, the council ruled that the plan "would represent a strident feature and visually obtrusive feature in the landscape".
The council ruled the plan would contravene the policy of the west Clare Development Plan which states that wind-farm proposals will only be permitted where it can be clearly demonstrated that they will not have an adverse impact on the landscape.
A spokesman for the Killoughrey brothers said yesterday they were disappointed at the ruling.
"They don't believe that the reasons to refuse by the council are strong or valid. The developers commissioned an independent report into the impact the proposal would have on the radar installations and it found that there would be no impact."
He said an appeal will be lodged to An Bord Pleanála.
To date, six wind-farms have secured planning permission in Clare, with the first recently completed wind-farm located at Moanmore near Kilrush.
