The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) has noted the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s publication of revised Wind Energy Guidelines for consultation.

IPI executive director Sean O’Leary commented “Updating the 2006 guidelines provides a welcome opportunity to take national and international research and best practice into account along with developments in wind turbine technology.The Institute looks forward to making a submission as part of the public consultation to ensure the final guidelines are most useful to planning authorities and consider the best outcomes for communities and requirements for renewable energy.”

O’Leary continued “However these technical guidelines cannot take key strategic issues on the future location of renewable energy projects into account. To be most effective the guidelines require the context of a national strategy for renewable energy development alongside a national landscape strategy.”

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