Plans over one million square metres of solar panels in Offaly on hold after application deemed invalid

Plans for over one million square metres of solar panels in one development on quality farm land in Offaly have been put on hold as the application has been deemed to be incomplete by Offaly County Council. 

According to the Offaly County Council website, an incomplete application is invalid and will be returned to the applicant.

Harmony Solar was seeking permission for the 437 acre (177 hectare) development on three parcels of farmland between Kilcormac and Rath. 

A 10-year permission and 40 year operation for the solar farm is being sought on the following land parcels. 

West parcel (Dovehill townland) c. 119.25 hectares

Central parcel (Gortamuck & Curraghmore townlands) c. 42.2 hectares

East parcel (Gortamuck & Freagh townlands) c. 16.07 hectares

There are also plans for a route corridor of 3.5 hectares for an underground internal electrical cable connecting the west and central parcels to the east parcel consisting of almost four kilometres of underground cabling within the corridor of road from Rath to Kilcormac.

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Another solar farm granted planning permission in Offaly

The total site area for the proposed development is almost 450 acres in an entirely rural location and consists of the following;

* 1,070,756 square metres of solar photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames

* inverter / transformer stations

* underground power and communication cables and ducts

* boundary security fencing

* two medium voltage (mv) control buildings

* new internal access tracks associated drainage infrastructure

* site entrances to the Rath Road

* 54 CCTV/ lighting posts and all associated site services and works.

Installations of internal network cable comprise trenching for an underground medium voltage electrical cable and associated joint bays and infrastructure, for a distance of approximately 3,859 metres in length along the Rath Road and approximately 661.5 metres within the solar farm lands.

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As part of a separate strategic infrastructure development (SID_ planning application, provision of a 1 10kv electrical substation with electrical control building, associated compound with palisade fence and two overhead line masts, which is to be located in the east parcel, will be lodged with An Bord Pleanála in due course

This is the largest solar farm to have sought permission to be constructed in Offaly. Another large solar farm to be located at Greenhills and Wood in Rhode will cover 155 hectares. That development will nett Offaly County Council over €1.2 million in development contributions plus annual rates.

it is the eighth solar farm given the green light in the county in the last two years with more in the planning system

A search of eplanning.ie shows that in the same two year period, there have been no solar farms granted permission in Laois with one smaller scale development granted permission in each of Longford and Westmeath