And so it begins… 16NOV20
ell, it turns out that, just sometimes, the cover story is stronger than a
whole plethora of emails.
Noticing that solar panels had been abandoned at the new Gorteen development in Delgany, we got in touch with the powers that be.
Namely, Wicklow Planning, who had approved the original planning application and then, more recently, approved a series of changes to that agreed plan. Including the turfing out of those solar panels on each house.
We also tried emailing D/Res Properties, the developers behind Gorteen Way. Answers came there none, other than a cut & paste link back to the planning decision from Jackie Carroll, Senior Executive Officer of Planning, Development and Environment at Wicklow County Council.
Now, three days after that Guide article appeared, Robbie McGrath, Head of Sustainability with D/RES Properties, sent us the following explanation…
Robbie McGrath
2 comments
Whatever about the energy efficiency of the homes they build, DRes say ‘our team has a proven ability to deliver high quality houses within healthy living environments to Ireland’s new and existing homeowners’ and in Belleview they have unnecessarily felled trees at the edge of the land and diverted a stream, without an ecological impact assessment, all during the nesting season, effecting already pressurized species, and during a ‘climate and biodiversity emergency’. Bit of a contradiction…..
But now it seems the buyers have to pay extra for the Positive Living upgrade to get the solar panels. If I understand it correctly. Remains to be seen how many will do that.
Good that there will be heat pumps instead of gas boilers though