BREAKING: Green light given for solar farm near Punchestown in Kildare

Strategic Power Projects Limited, based in Co Louth, has been granted planning permission for a 35-year solar farm on 129 hectares at Swordlestown near Punchestown Racecourse. 

The €100 million solar farm could produce enough power to provide clean energy to 20,500 homes in the area.

The designs include 51 single storey electrical inverter/ transformer units as well as security fencing, landscaping and a CCTV system with pole mounted cameras.

An existing farm entrance will be upgraded and a new entrance will be built. 

An internal access road of a distance of 170m will be constructed.

Local residents who formed the Punchestown Area Community Group had opposed the development and said the valuable landscape and amenity value that the Punchestown area would be lost.