Cork City Council grants permission for 3-hectare solar farm at Rathpeacon, Killeens, Cork city

In context

There were 333 nationally in the past twelve months. Of the 572 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 92% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 9 October 2024. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Cork City Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

The development involves the conversion of the existing Killeens Wastewater Treatment Plant to a Pumping Station, with wastewater pumped away to the Cork City drainage network. The development will consist of: Decommissioning of existing infrastructure at the Wastewater Treatment Plant site, including the inlet works, stormwater holding tank, primary settlement tank, Rotating Biological Contactors (2 No.), sand filter, sludge holding tank, final clarifiers (2 No.), outlet meter chamber, balancing tank, New infrastructure on the current Wastewater Treatment Plant site associated with its intended use as a pumping station, including pump sump and valve chamber, flowmeter chamber, Motor Control Centre (MCC) kiosk, new stormwater holding tank, odour control chemical storage tank and dosing plant, New access road and entrance gate on the eastern boundary of the site, post and rail fencing/screen planting/entrance gate/farm gates along the new access road. Use of the existing entrance off the N20 will be discontinued. Rising main pipeline through Gleann Iris estate and along Rathpeacon Road, with a passive Odour Contol Unit at the high point on the rising main, and a gravity sewer pipeline from that high point to a connection point on the public sewer at Northpoint Business Park. New ground mounted Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels together with mounting structures and inverters Biodiversity enhancement including planting of native woodland on part of the discontinued site access road off the N20, amenity grassland, removal of existing Leylandii trees along North-Eastern site boundary and replacement with native planting. Site development including landscaped and hard standing areas, internal roads on the Wastewater Treatment Plant site.