North Coast windfarm project probed

The Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Sir Reg Empey has promised residents in County Londonderry that any bid to build an offshore windfarm will only proceed in tandem with discussions at local level.

The area selected to build the windfarm, known as the Tunes Plateau Site, is five kilometres off Portstewart’s coastline. It would involve the siting of up to 60 turbines with an installed capacity of between 150MW and 250MW with work to begin in the summer of 2005.

Sir Reg, who was replying to a written question tabled at Stormont by the East Londonderry MLA David McClarty, said: “It is my intention to ensure that the local community at all levels is kept fully informed of plans as they become clear. Officials in my Department and any developer will agree a consultation plan covering key stages of the project as soon as a developer declares an interest in the lease of the site.”

Mr McClarty, who has met Portstewart residents about the issue, said he was intent on making as much information public in order to let the community make a detailed appraisal of what is proposed.

Mr McClarty also asked about the potential benefits of the proposal windfarm in relation to tourism, the economy, energy directives and global expertise in renewable energy.

However, Sir Reg said that it was not yet clear if a competent developer would come forward to acquire a lease to develop the windfarm on the Tunes Plateau site.

He added: “Firm assessments of the benefits and impacts which the proposed project may present can only be undertaken once a detailed project plan is agreed with a developer.

“The proposed project represents a potential £200 million investment in marine and electrical engineering and it is envisaged that the majority of steel structural, and foundational works for the project could be carried out in Northern Ireland.

“The site characteristics will require any future developer to operate at the upper limit of current technical capability and this experience would demonstrate the capability of Northern Ireland in a major offshore development.

“Experience in other parts of Europe has already shown that an engineering project of this nature often attracts significant positive interest from visitors to the area surrounding the windfarm. It will not be possible to fully assess the potential impact of this project on tourism until a detailed project plan has been submitted by a developer, although clearly it will be important to address any negative aspects as soon as they become known.”

(AMcE)