By Ryan Sands
Plans for a controversial Mournes wind farm have been scrapped.
Last Wednesday (20 May), ABO Energy submitted notice of application withdrawal correspondence to both the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC), officially ending its bid to construct eight 142.5m turbines in the Gruggandoo, Grugganskeagh and Mullaghgarve townlands outside Hilltown.
In a statement, local campaign group Save The Mournes, which has opposed the proposal since it was submitted in March 2015, welcomed the news.
The major application originally proposed a dozen 125m turbines, though this was refused by then Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard in November 2016 – regionally significant proposals require a ministerial decision – prompting the subsequent lodging of an amended application for 10 turbines.
The proposal was downsized for the second time with the 2020 submission of plans for an eight-turbine wind farm.
In 2022, Nichola Mallon, Mr Hazzard’s ministerial successor, confirmed that she would be initiating a public inquiry into the plans.
The PAC originally scheduled the inquiry for March 2025, though this was postponed to last September at the request of ABO Energy; however, it never did proceed.
An October project update on the company’s website highlighted that “a programme for the local public inquiry is awaited from the PAC, following additional consultation undertaken by DfI in August and September 2025”.
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