21 December 2016

Code of Practice for Wind Energy Development in Ireland

Guidelines for Community Engagement1

Building strong and effective relationships with communities and individuals that will live with
all infrastructure projects, including wind turbines, is an integral part of any infrastructure
project, from large-scale resource projects and major transport infrastructure, to the
development of local community facilities.

Ignoring or poorly managing community concerns can have long-term negative impacts on a
community’s economic, environmental or social situation. In addition, not involving communities
in the project development process has the potential to impose costly time and financial delays
for project promoters, or prevent the realisation of much needed infrastructure and facilities.

Establishing dialogue and building trust within a community can be challenging, but is vitally
important for infrastructure providers who should have a long-term interest in the communities
in which they operate.

This Code of Good Practice is intended to ensure that wind energy development in Ireland is
undertaken in observance with the best industry practices, and with the full engagement of
communities around the country.

Delivering any significant project will require community engagement through the different
stages of a project, from the initial scoping, feasibility and concept stages, right through
construction to the operational phase. The approach and level of engagement should reflect the
nature of the project and the potential level of impact that it could have on a community.

The long standing focus of project promoters on technical and financial considerations has
expanded to address environmental and spatial planning considerations. Successful engagement
requires a full, open, honest and practical engagement with communities. The guidance below
sets out a number of practical steps that wind farm promoters must comply with in engaging with
communities.

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This document sets out a Code of Practice to enhance engagement and transparency between wind farm
promoters and communities and does not purport to be of a legal form. It is not a substitute for planning
obligations or other legal requirements imposed on wind energy developers.

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1. Contact and visibility

A nominated Community Liaison Officer (CLO) should be appointed by the project promoter,
with readily accessible contact details, who should be available to neighbouring residents and
community groups from the initial project development phases, through to the operational
phase of the wind farm. As necessary, regular meetings should be scheduled with the local
community and there should be ongoing community liaison at all stages of a project from the
development of an initial proposal and throughout its operation to decommissioning. The
Community Liaison Officer should:
 Make publically available full, clear and comprehensive information about the project
during key milestone stages of development (e.g. pre-planning, planning, construction);
 Have the authority and resources to receive, record, investigate, respond to and address
queries and complaints during the different stages of the project development and
operation.

The promoter shall submit an annual report to the local authority of all communications and
information provided, queries received, responses to same and recording if these are ongoing or
resolved, which will be published on a dedicated register available online.

A local Authority will take into consideration their performance of these obligations when
deciding on new applications by the promoter elsewhere in the county or on repowering
applications.

The promoter shall submit reports to the elected members and/or relevant officials of the
competent local authority, as appropriate and may be required, during different phases of the
development.

For the duration of the project, from scoping right through to decommissioning, a copy of all
relevant information must be made available for inspection online though the project website
and for viewing publically accessible locations such as local authority offices and public libraries
or similar.

2. Arrangements for making contact

The objective of project promoters should be to ensure the widest possible consultation with
individuals and communities from the commencement of the project. Project promoters should
make every effort to identify those to engage with and should be flexible and facilitative in the
way they approach this engagement including, for example, in relation to the timing and venues
for engagement.

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Local authorities maintain a database of registered community and voluntary organisations

including recommended points of contact and information packs should be provided to these
by the project promoters for dissemination (examples include the Local Community
Development Committees and Public Participation Networks in each local authority area). At a
minimum a contact telephone number (including out of hours during operation), email, website
and social media address should be made available with a commitment that all requests will be
acknowledged within a reasonable period, and not later than 48 hours.

Each individual and community organisation engaged with should receive the same
information.

Where public exhibitions are used to provide information, project promoters should work with
the local community to ensure that the time and venue has regard to:
 Prominence in the local community;
 Accessibility to individuals and community groups;
 The availability of appropriate media technology for the display of maps, plans and full
illustrations and/or information leaflets in an understandable format;
 The need for exhibitions to be adequately staffed from the promoter’s organisation or
project team;
 The availability of environmental or other expertise being relied upon by the promoter;
 The need to provide the fullest possible range of information including EIA, Planning
application;
 Potential conflict with other events or periods in a given year where the potential
attendance at an event may be compromised.

3. Engagement

The project promoter should engage with the local community throughout each stage of the
project, e.g., feasibility, design, EIA and planning, tender, construction, and operation. These
elements should all form part of a Community Liaison Strategy (CLS) which must set out an
engagement timeline at key project milestones (following the sample template at Appendix 1)
and include at a minimum a dedicated website, the distribution of regular newsletters,
education and outreach programmes. The actual approach in each project/stage will vary, but
there must be open and transparent sharing of information and outreach, e.g. site and project
information, advising individuals and communities of lodgement of consent applications,
updating on progress. As well as providing information, promoters should work to understand
the views of local communities at an early stage to enable these to be considered in the final
design of the project to the greatest extent possible.

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4. Compliance with Statutory/Regulatory Obligations

Statutory and Regulatory Systems (e.g. Planning Consent, Environmental Impact Assessment,
Natura Impact Assessment) generally impose obligations on project promoters in relation to
providing information and consulting individuals and communities (and certain designated
bodies) in relation to project proposals. These requirements must be fully complied with, and
effective community engagement requires that project promoters are open and transparent in
their engagement under these codes. Failure to do so may be a breach of obligation, but also
has serious risk of undermining trust and willing engagement between communities and the
project promoters.

It is note that applications under certain consent procedures (e.g. Strategic Infrastructure Act
2006) may also have particular prescribed obligations imposed for the duration of the planning
process, such as the provision of documents for download on a project specific website.
However, adopting best-in-class levels of engagement beyond statutory requirements may
increase the likelihood of project success. Conversely poor engagement increases the likelihood
of negative reactions, increased opposition and greater planning risk.

5. Community benefit

Community benefit encompasses a range of measures that a project can bring to those living in
its hinterland. For the majority of projects, this is associated with the level of economic benefit,
widely defined, that a project brings to a community. This can range from employment and
service supply to a project, participation as a stakeholder, economic transfers, or benefit in kind
(e.g. discounted energy). The precise benefit will likely be a function of the scale and financial
benefit of the project to the project promoters, the impact of the project on the local
communities and their expectations regarding the nature of the community benefit. It is
important that promoters recognise the potential of such benefits to become a source of
division at local level and to, therefore, be open and transparent in providing information on
how the benefit was calculated and allocated.

Due consideration should be given to measures regarding a planned project, which will benefit
the economic sustainability of the local community beyond the lifetime of the project itself. The
overall community benefit programme will be notified to the local authority following
consultation on best practice, when available, with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
(SEAI). A well-designed and well executed community benefit scheme can provide material and
lasting value to communities that host wind farms.

Robust planning is required to identify what the project can deliver to the community and at
what cost. Options for consideration should include enhancement of local amenity value; for
example, by improving visual amenity or infrastructure upgrades.
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6. Impact mitigation

Wind energy delivers a range of national and local benefits in terms of supporting regional and
local economic development, decarbonising the energy system, enabling Ireland to meet its
renewable energy ambitions on a least cost basis, addressing the health impacts of fossil fuels,
etc. Large infrastructure projects also have the potential, however, to impact negatively on local
communities. Project promoters should clearly identify and consult with local communities, on
these impacts and set out the reasonable measures and steps they will take to ameliorate,
mitigate or compensate for these impacts. The approach taken to mitigation must also align with
relevant planning and environmental assessment guidelines and processes.

7. Independent Advisory and information bodies

There can be a sense in any community faced with a major new development of an imbalance
in the information and advice available to project promoters on the one hand and individuals
and communities on the other hand. It is important, therefore, that project promoters actively
identify and encourage people to contact and seek advice and information from independent
public bodies with an expertise in relation to wind energy projects. Contact details for the SEAI
should also be provided for independent information on renewable energy, as well as contact
details of the relevant planning authority, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Geological
Survey of Ireland, Inland Fisheries Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, etc.

8. Expert Professional advice

While public bodies can provide a great deal of relevant information, individuals and
communities engaging with project promoters should be encouraged to seek independent
professional advice before entering into agreements or signing any legal documents, whether
relating to agreements, benefit schemes, leases, wayleaves, or rights-of-way.

9. Ancillary Development

In addition to the wind farm itself, ancillary and related projects should be clearly disclosed and
full information provided. There should be full and early information, once known, on elements
such as road access, grid connection proposals, traffic management, sub-station or control
buildings, maintenance facilities, at the outset of engaging with local communities.

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10. Reports

Project promoters should openly and transparently demonstrate their compliance with this
Code of Practice, publishing every twelve months a report (following the template at Appendix
2) of the actions that they have taken in accordance with its principles, any issues that have
arisen, complaints received and response undertaken, and benefit measures implemented with
local individuals and communities.

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Appendix 1

Community Liaison Strategy – Engagement Timeline

Sample Template

Pre-planning submission
Early consultation with certain statutory stakeholders and other relevant bodies is a
fundamental requirement within the environmental assessment and planning process. No later
than at this consultation stage (e.g. EIA Scoping), and preferably earlier during project feasibility
and site wind assessment, a Community Liaison Officer should be appointed and their contact
details provided to the community. A timeline for response to queries should be highlighted to
the community also. Promoters should seek to anticipate host community issues early on with a
view to achieving solutions.

Promoters should advertise public consultation locally with letter drops and house contact in
the community. Further options for consideration in public awareness are schools presentations
and public consultation events. These options need to be reflective of the public availability
with regards to location and timing.

During Planning
During the planning stage the promoter should be available to residents in relation to any local
issues and requirements that arise. Understanding issues as they arise through the planning
cycle and liaising with parties accordingly can increase understanding of the project and may
reduce the likelihood of planning objections.

Pre-Construction
Prior to starting construction, concentrated communication with all relevant stakeholders
should take place to confirm any aspects of the project which have evolved and any potential
impacts resulting to the community as a result of construction. Independent sources of
information with appropriate expertise should be identified through SEAI in order to address
matters of concern such as health impacts. Updates on project progress should be regularly
provided and feedback from key community figures should be actively sought and “Meet the
Buyer” evenings should be organised to introduce the main contractor of the project to the
community. This will offer the contractor the opportunity to interact with local suppliers and
trades in order to facilitate greater local economic benefits.

Complaints arising as a consequence of the development should be registered and actively

managed by the promoter along with the full scope for the community benefit which should be
finalised prior to the energisation of the project.

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During Construction
It is essential that complaints be registered and actively managed by the promoter in a timely
manner. Promoters should demonstrate an eagerness to prioritise community issues
particularly during construction. Good examples of issues include the management of traffic
flow and dust suppression during construction, in addition to execution of all mitigation
measures proposed and adherence to any planning conditions imposed.

Likewise, it is essential to record the local employment and net economic benefit of the project.
The highlights of this should be provided amongst other detail in quarterly newsletters to the
community and periodic updates ahead of major events. A full economic assessment of the
project should be conducted and maintained during the development.

Post-Construction and Operation

As any community fund will remain in place for the full lifecycle of the development, it is
important the promoter maintains a record of it. Where possible, local maintenance technicians
should be trained and employed to further local net economic benefit.

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Appendix 2

Annual Report of Compliance with Code of Practice

Sample Template

Requirement Implementation Compliance

Contact and Visibility Confirm maintenance of contact
platforms and Community Liaison
Early and ongoing consultation is Officer (CLO) details.
required on a regular basis to deal Confirm acknowledgment of all
with queries, complaints, community communications within 48 hours has
engagement activities etc. from been made.
feasibility/site assessment through to Confirm all queries and complaints have
operation and decommissioning. been followed up, published on project
website and resolved as appropriate.
The continued maintenance of Where issues cannot be resolved or
contact platforms is therefore remain outstanding, confirm they are
required and the obligation to appropriately identified thus and
acknowledge/respond to published on the project website.
communications remains for the Confirm the number of queries and
duration of the project. complaints has been published on the
project website.
Confirm all reported incidents on site
have been followed up, published on
project website and resolved as
appropriate.
Confirm all instances of planned
disruption through maintenance, traffic
restrictions etc. have been highlighted
and clearly communicated to the
community in advance.
Confirm a standard approach has been
adopted when highlighting instances of
planned disruption to the community.
Community Engagement and Benefit Confirm Community Liaison Strategy
and project website have been
A standard approach is helpful in maintained detailing engagement
ensuring fair and equitable timelines and key milestones.
community engagement. Scale of Confirm progress on community
benefit, activities and beneficiaries of engagement projects and benefit
any community benefit scheme schemes undertaken has been
should also be reported annually published on project website.

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along with the future proposals for Confirm a standard approach has been
beneficiary schemes. adopted in highlighting the progress on
benefit schemes and when accepting
Where engagement of the community requests for new schemes.
requires entering into legal Confirm professional advice has been
agreements, professional advice recommended to host communities
should be sought. It is essential the where legal agreements are being
promoter recommends seeking entered into.
professional advice in any legal
agreements entered into with host
communities.
Compliance with Regulation Confirm fulfilment of statutory and
regulatory obligations and publication
Continuing fulfilment of obligations of fulfilment on project website.
regarding statutory and regulatory
systems (environmental standards
and sound level limits) must be
publicised on project website.
Mitigation of Development Impacts Confirm scheduled input from project
promoter has taken place to mitigate
Where project promoters working impacts arising as a result of the project
with local communities have which have been identified with local
identified potential impacts resulting communities.
from the project, steps to mitigate for Confirm that where additional impacts
these impacts are required. Such have been identified by project
steps may involve annual input and promoters and local communities, steps
compliance of continued effort to to mitigate these have been addressed.
address them is necessary.

To openly demonstrate compliance with the code of practice, detail on action taken in
accordance with its principles which is not covered by the above checklist and/or for which
further material is considered appropriate, should be attached to the checklist and submitted.

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