Are menhirs stronger than wind turbines? In a judgment handed down this Tuesday, the Nantes administrative court of appeal put a stop to the Porspoder marine wind farm project (Finistère), north of Brest, canceling the environmental authorization granted by the prefect of Finistère in 2022.
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The project, under debate for almost 10 years, “excessively harms both the surrounding landscape and the archaeological heritage,” wrote the court. The site planned to build the wind turbines adjoins “the Kergadiou menhirs, one of which is erect and the other lying, located 540 meters from wind turbine No. 3”, underlines the court in a press release.
“No relief or natural obstacle”
“No relief or natural obstacle separates the disputed wind turbines from these pink granite menhirs, classified as historical monuments by a decree of September 25, 1883, menhirs which constitute markers in the landscape,” notes the court. “By their proximity and their height, the disputed wind turbines would have the effect of disrupting the relationship of scale of these menhirs, and more particularly of the standing menhir of Kergadiou, to their landscape environment,” she insists.
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The court further emphasizes that the contested project is located between 1,000 and 1,750 meters from numerous other megalithic sites classified as historical monuments, such as the menhir of Kérouézel, the menhirs of Traon-Igou and those of Mesdoun, the menhirs, stones lying and alignments of Saint-Dénéc or the dolmen known as Mezou Poulyot in Kerménou.
Located at an altitude of around fifty meters and three kilometers from the coast, the project would also “have the effect of generating, in the preserved and open landscape, significant co-visibility”, particularly with the Iroise natural marine park. , the islands of Ouessant and Molène, the Four lighthouse, the Saint-Laurent peninsula or the Landunvez tourist route, according to the press release.
Unfavorable opinion from the architect of buildings of France
The courts had received an appeal against this wind farm project from local residents as well as the association for the Protection of Aber Ildut and the Sauvegarde Paysages d’Iroise association.
In its judgment, the court recalls that the architect of the buildings of France had issued several opinions unfavorable to this project, as well as the municipalities of Plourin and Lanildut and the investigating commissioner. This did not prevent the prefect from authorizing the project by an order of July 28, 2022.
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