A €30 million plan to build six 150m wind turbines to line the entrance to Cork harbour has failed to attract any submissions.
A decision on four planning applications for the turbines to provide energy for four healthcare manufacturing companies in Cork is due this month. Today is the closing date for submissions on plans for five of the turbines, to be built at four locations in Ringaskiddy. Centocor, DePuy, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis are planning to build the turbines on each of their four sites dotted around Ringaskiddy.
The height of the turbines will reach 150.5m, with a blade radius of 50.5m, making the structures more than twice the height of Ireland’s tallest building, the Elysian tower in Cork.
Submissions on GlaxoSmith-Kline’s plans for a sixth identical turbine at Curraghbinny, Carrigaline, can be made until June 9th.
Planning applications are under review by county planners. Though decision dates have been set for June 23rd (June 30th for Glaxo’s turbine), planners are likely to seek further information on applications, given the scale of the project.
The project aims to reduce the carbon footprint of each of the four sites by up to 30 per cent, or up to 22,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The firms have formed an umbrella group, the Cork Lower Harbour Energy Group, for the purpose of applying for planning permission for the turbines.