Planning permission to develop 11 industrial scale wind turbines at Ballymanus in Co Wicklow has been rejected.

Wicklow County Council turned down proposals by ABI Wind Ireland.

Sinn Fein TD for Wicklow/East Carlow John Brady welcomed the decision.

He said: "I am glad that common sense has prevailed and I want to commend South Wicklow Wind Action Group and the people of the area who stood up and fought this application for the second time. I hope that this decision will now be accepted by ABO Wind Ireland.

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"While the Government had committed to publish wind planning guidelines within 3 to 6 months of forming a new government, this is yet to happen. In the absence of this, there now needs to be an immediate halt to wind farm planning applications throughout the State until we have appropriate planning guidelines in place.

"It is intended that Sinn Féin's Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2016 will be debated in the Dáil on its resumption in September. This Bill guarantees a minimum set back distance and ensures there is an open and fully extensive public consultative process."

(CD)