PROJECT DETAILS COMMUNITY BENEFIT ENVIRONMENT RECREATION CONTACT Sliabh Bawn Windfarm Project Activity August 2017 – Project Update Official Opening of the Sliabh Bawn Power Recreational Facilities Sliabh Bawn Power would like to welcome the community to the official opening of the Sliabh Bawn recreational facilities on Saturday 2nd September 2017 from 9.30am. To mark the opening of state of the art amenities on site we hope you can join us for a 5K fun run, or a more serious 10K run on the brand new tracks and trails! Bring the children along to meet the Sliabh Bawn teddy bears or take the opportunity to walk the trails and see Sliabh Bawn’s historical sights. Itinerary 09:30 Registration for the 5K fun run and 10K run 10:30 Runs commence 10:30 – 12.30 Teddy bears picnic and story time at the Summit Registration Our event page is now open at https://sliabhbawnrecreationallaunch.eventbrite.ie and you can register in advance for all activities. Pre-registration will ensure that you secure some of our fantastic goodies, such as running and walking vests, lunch boxes for the picnic and more! Register now to avoid disappointment. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday 2nd September 2017. July 2017 – Project Update Commercial Operations The Wind Farm reached a significant milestone on the 31st March 2017, moving from a construction project to a fully operational Wind Farm. The operation of the project is now managed by Wind Prospect Operations Ltd. on behalf of Sliabh Bawn Power DAC. Primary contact details remain unchanged and these are set out above. The project team would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the community for its co-operation during the construction phase of the project. Noise Monitoring As an integral part of the project’s adherence to planning conditions, Operational Noise Monitoring commenced in Late April. The process remains ongoing and is dependent on weather as monitoring needs to be conducted on a wide cross-section of wind speeds and directions. Recreation works Phase II of the recreation works is near completion with the open forest policy resuming by the end of the month. The map below gives an overview of the significant new recreation amenities for Sliabh Bawn. Plans include a trim trail for fitness, an equestrian trail, looped walks, a raised viewing platform, additional car parking and a new picnic area. Community Benefit Fund A total of 24 projects are being supported by the 2016 annual fund (the second fund). The fund is developed as part of the Sliabh Bawn Wind farm and supports projects whose work falls under recreation, tourism, health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability and culture in the local area surrounding Sliabh Bawn Mountain. The total amount allocated for 2016 fund including 7 multi annual grants is €93,698. The list of successful applicants in 2016 is available on the project web-site. As a new initiative, the project wishes to conduct a review of the Benefit Fund with local community members to evaluate its current set-up and see how it can better meet the needs of local communities. SECAD (the independent administrator of the fund) shall be running a process in Spring – Summer 2017 to conduct this review and explore the potential for increased community involvement in the annual evaluation of applications. Further details shall be made available in August 2017. Sustainability The project is expected to make a significant contribution to Ireland’s transition to a lower carbon society. Sliabh Bawn Power DAC will continue to seek opportunities to improve the sustainability profile of the project and the surrounding area. In doing so, we would be grateful to receive any ideas which community members may have in this regard. April 2017 – Project Update Commercial Operations The Wind Farm reached a significant milestone on the 31st March 2017, moving from a construction project to a fully operational Wind Farm. The operation of the project is now managed by Wind Prospect Operations Ltd. on behalf of Sliabh Bawn Power DAC. Primary contact details remain unchanged and these are set out above. The project team would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the community for its co-operation during the construction phase of the project. Noise Monitoring As an integral part of the project’s adherence to planning conditions, Operational Noise Monitoring will commence in April. The process can take anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks depending on the weather as monitoring needs to be conducted on a wide cross-section of wind speeds and directions. Recreation works Phase II of the recreation works is well underway and due for final completion by the end of June 2017. A map on the reverse of this leaflet gives an overview of the significant new recreation amenities currently being constructed. Plans include a trim trail for fitness, an equestrian trail, looped walks, a raised viewing platform, additional car parking and a new picnic area. Community Benefit Fund A total of 24 projects are being supported by the 2016 annual fund (the second fund). The fund is developed as part of the Sliabh Bawn Wind farm and supports projects whose work falls under recreation, tourism, health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability and culture in the local area surrounding Sliabh Bawn Mountain. The total amount allocated for 2016 fund including 7 multi annual grants is €93,698. The list of successful applicants in 2016 is available on the project web-site. As a new initiative, the project wishes to include a community representative on the awards panel in 2017, and SECAD (the independent administrator of the fund) shall be running a process in Spring 2017 to identify a candidate. Further details shall be made available in May 2017. Sustainability The project is expected to make a significant contribution to Ireland’s transition to a lower carbon society. Sliabh Bawn Power DAC will continue to seek opportunities to improve the sustainability profile of the project and the surrounding area. In doing so, we would be grateful to receive any ideas which community members may have in this regard. March 2017 – Project Update Testing of the wind turbines is ongoing, this will require wind turbines to be put into operation for varying periods. The Sliabh Bawn Wind Farm is scheduled to be fully operational in spring 2017. The key highlights are as follows: Sub Station civil works are now completed. All site access roads are constructed. Cabling works from the sub-station to all turbines has been completed. All 20 No. Turbine foundations have been constructed. Turbine erection is complete. ESB Overhead lines works are completed. Works Underway : Testing of the turbines is underway and will continue until Spring 2017. Site reinstatement work is ongoing. The first phase of recreation works have been completed on Sliabh Bawn, 3 No. trails have been constructed with the remaining works taking place in Q2 of 2017. November 2016 – Project Update Turbine installation commenced at Sliabh Bán wind farm at the end of July and all 20 turbines have now been fully installed. The testing of the wind turbines has now begun and this will require wind turbines to be put into operation for varying periods over the coming months. The Sliabh Bán Wind Farm is scheduled to be fully operational in spring 2017. The key highlights are as follows: Sub Station civil works are now completed. All site access roads are constructed. Cabling works from the sub-station to all turbines has been completed. All 20 No. Turbine foundations have been constructed. Turbine erection is complete. ESB Overhead lines works are ongoing. Works Underway : Turbine installation commenced at Sliabh Bán wind farm at the end of July and all 20 turbines have now been fully installed. The first phase of recreation works have been completed on Sliabh Bawn, 3 No. trails have been constructed with the remaining works taking place in Q2 of 2017. September 2015 – Project Update Construction works for the Sliabh Bawn Wind Farm are underway since June 2015. The keys highlights are as follows: The new site entrance at Tooreen has been completed and is now operational Substation earth works are substantially complete Works on the turbine foundations are underway 4km of temporary public recreational route is now open Construction Progress Construction works for the Sliabh Bawn Wind Farm began in June 2015. There are currently 40 construction and supervisory staff on site. Works underway: In recent weeks, works have been undertaken at the north-eastern end of the site. These works were part of a dedicated construction site entrance off the R371 at Tooreen. The entrance is now completed and operational. A 350 metre section of the public road (L14253) commonly used to access the forest from the west at Ballyduffy, is now closed to facilitate construction. Coillte has provided a 4km alternative recreational route through part of Doughill Forest / Sliabh Bawn Mountain. The recreational route can be accessed by using the L14253, as far as Curraghduffy. Earth works on the substation site are underway and are due to be completed by October. Works on the turbine foundations have commenced. Access to Doughill Forest To protect public health and safety during construction, access to some sections of Doughill Forest is restricted to authorised personnel only. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Coillte has provided public access to a 4km temporary public recreational route through part of the forest, as shown in the green area on the map below, which will remain open throughout construction. Signs have been placed at all entrances to Doughill Forest. In addition, members of the public will continue to enjoy access to the Monastery Track for the annual pilgrimages which take place each Easter and August. Coillte will reinstate access to Doughill Forest on a phased basis, as soon as possible following construction in the summer of 2017. Download Temporary Recreational Routes Map July 2015 Access to Doughill Forest To protect public health and safety during construction, access to sections of Doughill Forest will be restricted to authorised personnel only. Coillte apologises for any inconvenience this may cause. Coillte has provided public access to a recreational route through part of the forest (as shown on the map above) which will remain open during construction. In addition, members of the public will continue to enjoy access to the Monastery Path for the annual pilgrimages which take place each Easter and August. You are welcome to visit any other Coillte woodlands nearby at Ballyfeeny (3km north on R371) and Aghawerriny (2km south on local road). Coillte will reinstate access to Doughill Forest, on a phased basis, as soon as possible following construction. We thank you for your cooperation. March 2015 Coillte is inviting members of the local communities near its Sliabh Bawn Wind Farm site to propose initiatives or projects for consideration for funding or support. Members of Coillte’s project team have been calling to residents in the areas surrounding the wind farm site in recent weeks to discuss the project and to provide information on how they can become involved. The proposals can be for new or existing community projects and Coillte will consider all applications for funding or other supports in line with its Community Benefit Policy once they are of benefit to the local area. Local projects could include for example new or improved sporting facilities, educational facilities, services for older people, environmental and energy efficiency projects, tourism initiatives, restorations or any other projects that are of benefit to the community. Coillte intends to commence the development of the Sliabh Bawn wind farm in late Spring 2015 in accordance with the planning permission was granted for the project by An Bord Pleanála in March 2012. Commercial forestry operations are ongoing including harvesting of commercial timber at Doughill Forest. Members of the public with ideas for suitable community projects or any other queries in relation to the wind farm are encouraged to contact the Sliabh Bawn project team. CONTACT INFO Sliabh Bawn Project, C/O Coillte, Dublin Road, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow. Or Telephone: 01 2011111 Lo-call: 1890 92 78 36 (Monday to Friday) Email: sliabh.bawn@coillte.ie © 2021 SliabhBawnDAC Policy/Disclaimer | Cookie Policy We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. Cookie Policy Accept all Functional only View preferences