Cork County Council grants permission for 61.1-hectare solar farm at Rahanisky Killeendaniel Monard, Co. Cork

In context

It is one of 52 solar farm applications Cork County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 349 nationally. 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 20 December 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues. The applicant sought a 10-year permission, which sets how long they have to start the development.

The development description, as lodged

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

A 10-year permission and 40-year operation period for a Solar Farm and underground grid connection within an overall site area of 61.08 hectares. The solar farm consists of 330,200 square meters of solar photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames; on-site electrical substation; electrical skids (containing inverters, transformers and switchgear); underground power and communication cables and ducts; boundary security fencing; new internal access tracks and associated drainage infrastructure; new site entrance to the L6965 local road; 10 no. CCTV/lighting posts and all associated site services and works. The development also includes underground grid connection, which is to be installed primarily within the L6965, L2951 and L2963 public roads, this includes the installation of 3 no. underground medium voltage electrical cables, 1 no. fibre communications cable, 2 no. joint bays and associated infrastructure to allow communications and connection between the proposed 38kV on-site substation and the Kilbarry 110kV Substation, Blackpool, Cork City. The total length of the cable is c.4,449m of which c.2,021m will be within the jurisdiction of Cork County Council and c.2,428m within the jurisdiction of Cork City Council. A concurrent planning application will be lodged with Cork City Council for the remainder of the underground cable along the public roads to allow connection to the Kilbarry 110kV Substation in Blackpool, Cork City under Section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (PDA)(as amended).