An Bord Pleanála permits 80 metre wind turbine at WuXi in Louth

An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision by Louth County Council to grant planning to WuXi Biologics Ireland Limited in Dundalk, to install a wind turbine with a hub height of 80 metres and a blade radius of 45 metres, subject however to revised planning conditions.

Louth County Council granted planning permission in July to WuXi Biologics Ireland Limited to erect the wind turbine, which would be located at the East area of its existing biopharmaceuticals plant. The proposed 80 metre wind turbine would be installed with underground ducting connecting to the existing ESB substation. For context the wind turbine at DkIT, which was installed in 2005, is understood to have a hub height of 60 metres and at a rotor diameter of 52 metres.

A significant number of submissions objecting to the turbine had been lodged with Louth County Council, for reasons including noise, visual sensitivity, and flicker effect. The local authority granted planning permission for the development to go ahead on 18 July, subject to 13 planning conditions. 

Third party appeals against Louth County Council's decision were lodged with An Bord Pleanála on 13 August, by John G. McDonald and by Aundrine Milton. 

An Bord Pleanála made the decision to grant planning permission for the development on 25 February, subject to revised conditions. Included in the conditions is that "the developer/operator shall submit to, and agree in writing with, the planning authority a Noise Compliance Monitoring Programme (NCMP)"; and that the turbine shall shut down during periods when shadow flicker is likely to occur at dwellings in accordance with measures contained in a letter of response to the appeal received by An Bord Pleanala in September 2024.

It was announced in January this year, that the WuXi Vaccines manufacturing facility was acquired by pharmaceutical company MSD Ireland, in an investment that was understood to represent over €500 million and the creation of 150 additional jobs at the Dundalk site. It is not known what the acquisition will mean for the plans for the wind turbine.