Mother’s delight at withdrawal of turbine proposal

Mother’s delight at withdrawal of turbine proposal

5 August 2015

PLANS for a controversial wind turbine in Ballygowan have been withdrawn.

The move came just a few days after a social media campaign urging politicians to oppose plans for the turbine at the Carrickmannon Road in the village was signed by almost 500 people — less than 24 hours after it went on line. 

The issue was also featured in last week’s Down Recorder and it was just a few hours later that the 

application as withdrawn.

The petition was posted on Facebook by the family of Denis Murray who were concerned about the impact a proposal to locate a 40-metre high turbine near their home would have on his health.

Denis — who turned 20 in June — suffers from a rare chromosome disorder, known as Tetrasomy 18p. He has severe learning difficulties, no speech, an impaired ability to respond to danger, increased sensitivity to noise and is entirely dependent on his family for his care.

The application for the 250km turbine was due to be discussed shortly by Ards and North Down Council but Denis’s mother Patricia is delighted the planning application has now been withdrawn.

A senior planning official contacted Mrs Murray on Wednesday afternoon to confirm the news.

Plans to locate the turbine a short distance behind the Murray family home were lodged a number of months ago, and Mrs Murray expressed concern about the adverse impact the noise from the huge structure would have on her son.

She expressed concern that due to her son’s noise sensitivity, the close proximity of the turbine would cause Denis sleep and emotional difficulties and effectively render him a prisoner in his own home. 

“We are absolutely thrilled and delighted this planning application has been withdrawn. We cannot thank enough everyone who supported our campaign and realise now that by going public with our concerns, the media is very influential,” said Mrs Murray.

“We are delighted for Denis and feel very humbled indeed that our campaign was supported by so many people. I was even being stopped in the street because people had read articles in the paper.”

Mrs Murray revealed she met with a representative from the organisation behind the turbine proposal and hopes the impact her family feared it would have had on her son’s health was one of the reasons the application was withdrawn.

“I hope the impact the turbine would have had on Denis did come into the equation and was taken on board during the process which has led to the application being withdrawn,” she continued.

“I want to thank everyone who helped us. Before we expressed our concern about this plan in public I did not understand the power of the media. Now I do. I was sitting on my own with concerns about this turbine and after going public look at what has happened.”

Mrs Murray said the comments posted on the Facebook petition launched a week-and-a-half ago showed not only on people’s support, but how sympathetic they were about the turbine issue and the impact it would have had on her son.

“It was lovely to read what everyone said, particularly with regard to our human right to enjoy the peacefulness of our home. We are so grateful for all the support and everything in the garden is rosy again.”

Mrs Murray also believes the campaign waged by her family shows that people concerned about similar planning applications should take a stand.

She added: “If people do not want these turbines near their homes they should stand together. These structures tower over people’s homes and if like us they have concerns about the impact they would have they should object.”