The fundamental concern of STMSTS is that the Sperrins is being overwhelmed by wind farms without sufficient account being taken of their downsides. The Sperrin region, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, faces a looming threat of becoming a dumping ground for enormous, seemingly eco-friendly energy solutions. Currently, we believe, there is an unsustainable focus and over dependence on wind energy development to provide the primary pathway to reaching targets. This over dependence on wind energy, if continued, risks not only our overall energy security, but also risks the small ever decreasing bio diversity and natural heritage asset pool we have here*; it impacts negatively on community well- being and health; and it removes fair shared opportunities and benefits for all in our move to a greener and more sustainable planet.

(*In a recent survey of 240 countries Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have the unenviable distinction of being placed 12th among these with most depleted biodiversity and natural heritage.)

Windfarm development and that of its ancillary services (battery storage) without due diligence risks another failure in governance significantly greater than RHI. Vested interests within the industry are now it would appear:

● seeking government subsidies for new investment to enhance profit margins;

● seeking changes in planning to enable faster turnaround in applications;

● asking that if consultee statutory agencies do not reply within strict times to planning

applications, that they forfeit their right to response;

● seeking to reduce the distance recommendations (already inadequate) for

● siting of wind turbines from domestic premises;

● seeking unlimited access to the high hanging fruit- our Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty;

These same vested interests are also using targets of the Climate Change Act NI 2022 (that 80% of electricity consumption has to be from a diverse mix of renewable sources by 2030) to create an over urgent impression that wind energy is the only route to achieving these targets.

We would hold however that:

● The road to the 2030 targets should be revised.

● Any subsidies should be reserved for renewable solutions other than wind energy and

support battery storage given the high level of investment there is now in this sector.

● Communities must be consulted extensively and in advance of wind farm contracts being signed with landowners; There may be a place for wind farms where communities welcome them, and are sufficiently compensated at personal and community level.

● Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are non-negotiable when it comes to windfarm and single wind turbine development;

● Clear weight should be given to a Nature Positive approach to carbon reductions and areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty should be an area of focus for this activity, with subsidies put in place to mitigate any perceived loss in income from wind farm/wind turbine opportunities;

● Wind farm development should not be taking place using outdated standards for noise thresholds including low frequency noise and without ongoing monitoring systems in place to ensure compliance;

● Wind farm developments should be required to have insurance to mitigate against potential negative environmental and public health impacts.

● Wind farm developments should pay a retaining fee to a central government agency to facilitate the decommissioning of future wind farm infrastructure.

● Wind farm development should not be taking place in the absence of Local Development Plans being formally completed; and consultee statutory agencies are fully resourced to respond to wind farm development planning applications.

● There should be an equitable geographic approach taken to renewable energy development and carbon reduction.

Since our establishment last year, our group of volunteers has been meticulous in efforts to gain an understanding of windfarm development and potential impacts. Our initial focus was on our own community however we have developed a wider appreciation of the issue. This is not confined to our small corner of Tyrone but is disrupting communities beyond in our own county and also in Derry-Londonderry, Antrim, and Fermanagh. Down and Armagh have for now managed to avoid the fallout from windfarm development, battery storage facilities, and all the infrastructure which comes with it.