‘Ferocious’ noise warning as BESS plan appealed

Plans for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in rural Monaghan have been appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

At the start of January, Monaghan County Council granted planning permission to The Old Mill Energy Limited for the development, imposing eight conditions.

Old Mill Energy had sought a 10-year planning permission for a BESS compound at Feebane, Castleshane, including an electrical substation, transformers, inverter units, cabling and ducting. The company said the operational lifespan of the development would be 35 years.

The site is greenfield, but directly adjacent to an existing battery storage facility and an ESB substation.

In 2018, planners granted a 10-year permission for an energy storage facility across 1.1 hectares, including a single-storey electrical substation, transformer and inverter modules, and containerised battery storage units. That permission was altered in 2020, expanding the site boundary to 1.474 hectares; while reducing the number of containerised battery modules from 58 down to 10.

For the latest application, council planners recommended approval but concluded that “exceptional circumstances” did not exist, and ruled a five-year permission should instead be offered.

The appeal has been lodged by Trevor Russell, who lives just 140 metres from the existing Lisdrum BESS station, which is also close to his elderly parents. In his objection to the council, Mr Russell described the impact of the current development saying the “100+ air con units [emit] a ferocious tonal and buzzing”.

Mr Russell also raised concerns about access arrangements, arguing that the proposed laneway is “not a viable option” as it effectively encircles his parents’ home.

“I feel like the small area has enough commercial infrastructure - or even too much already,” he said.

The appeal will now be assessed by An Coimisiún Pleanála, with a decision expected by the end of May.