An Coimisiún Pleánála has refused planning permission for a wind farm in Clare that was opposed by Shannon Airport and AirNav Ireland due to aviation safety concerns.
The planning authority said it was not satisfied that the proposed development of the 12-turbine wind farm would not endanger the safety of aircraft or interfere with the navigation of planes.
Limerick firm Ballycar Green Energy had sought planning for the wind farm to be located threekm northwest of Limerick city at Ballycar, Co Clare.
The proposed development comprised of 12 turbines with a tip height of 158m.
The commission received over 70 objections to the planning application, including from the aviation bodies, which expressed concern at the impact the windfarm could have on the radar station at Woodcock Hill in Cratloe near Shannon Airport.
AirNav Ireland provides air traffic management for the airspace controlled by Ireland and the majority of transatlantic flights depend on the radar station at Woodcock Hill.
AirNav Ireland manager of surveillance M&E systems Charlie O'Loughlin said in the operator's objection that the development would reduce safety in the Shannon and Dublin air traffic control centres, which depend on the Woodcock Hill radar station in Cratloe, Co Clare.
Mr O’Loughlin said the proposed wind farm "would degrade the performance of the Woodcock Hill radar".
In refusing planning, the commission said it was not satisfied that mitigation measures had been submitted by Ballycar Green Energy that could remove "all level of aviation-related risk" likely to arise as a result of the proposed development ''or that such measures can then be agreed and implemented to the satisfaction of AirNav Ireland, Shannon Airport Group and the Irish Aviation Authority".
