Tipperary solar farm plans delayed as council deems major application invalid

Plans for a large-scale solar farm near Cashel have been delayed after Tipperary County Council ruled that the developer’s planning application was invalid.

Cork-based Patricks Rock Solar Ltd submitted proposals for a 151-hectare solar photovoltaic development which, if approved, would generate enough electricity to power around 155,000 homes. The project is now back at the pre-validation stage with the council following the invalidation.

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The proposed solar farm would be divided across three separate locations. Two of the sites lie east of the M8 at Boscabell, Georges Land, Kilscobin and Monadreela, while a third is located further east in the Kilconnell–Mocklershill area. The operational lifespan of the solar PV installation is projected to be 40 years.

Under the original plans, Patricks Rock Solar sought permission to install solar panels mounted on galvanised steel frames, 17 transformer units, inverters, a permanent operations compound, and associated underground cabling and ducting. The company’s agents stated the project would have the capacity to power almost 47,000 households annually.

However, council planners ruled the application invalid due to problems with the public notice published in a local newspaper and inaccuracies in the company’s registration details. The notice was described by planners as “misleading” because it directed the public to the civic offices in Clonmel to view the application files, rather than indicating that the files could be inspected at both the Clonmel and Nenagh offices. Officials also noted that the application contained an incorrect Companies Registration Office number.

“You are advised that any valid planning application will be subject to a completeness check in accordance with ... the Planning and Development Act,” planners stated.

Patricks Rock Solar Ltd has since resubmitted the application, which remains at the pre-validation stage. This process allows the local authority to verify whether all documentation and notices have been correctly filed before formally accepting the submission.

If the application is deemed valid, Tipperary County Council is expected to issue a decision by January 3rd, 2026.

The development comes amid increasing interest in large-scale renewable energy projects in the county. Earlier this year, An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld planning permission for another major solar farm near the village of Dualla, underscoring the growing momentum behind solar energy investment in Tipperary.

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