323.3-hectare solar farm proposed at Knocknagappagh, Barnaviddane, Co. Cork

In context

It is one of 52 solar farm applications Cork County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 337 nationally. Of the 573 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 92% were granted.

What happens next

The five-week window for public submissions has closed. The council normally decides within eight weeks of the application being lodged, unless it requests further information, which stops the clock.

The development description, as lodged

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

The application is requesting a 10-year planning permission for the development of a solar farm with an operational life of 40 years. We, Orsted Onshore Ireland Midco Ltd, intend to apply for permission for development at this site: Knocknagappagh, Barnaviddane, Ballyneague, Ballydaniel, Youghalpark, Ballydaheen and Cornaveigh in County Cork. The development will consist of: • A 323.28 ha solar farm with ca. 210 ha of solar panels fixed on ground-mounted frames. • The provision of 54 no. Inverter/transformer stations placed on concrete pads on hardcore sized 120m2. • Site access tracks formed from the provision of 5,135m of new site access tracks and the upgrade of 7,115m of existing access tracks/roads to facilitate access to all onsite infrastructure. • The provision of 1 no. new permanent site entrance for construction and operational access, with the addition of a temporary overrun area from the R634 regional road in the townland of Ballydaniel (site entrance 1). • The permanent realignment of 1 no. existing field access for construction and operational access from the L7806 local road in the townland of Knocknagappagh (site entrance 2). • The provision of 1 no. new permanent site entrance for construction and operational access from the L3803 local road in the townland of Barnaviddane (site entrance 3). • The permanent realignment of 1 no. existing entrance for construction and operational access from the L3808 local road in the townland of Youghalpark (site entrance 4). • The permanent realignment of 1 no. existing entrance for construction and operational access from the L38081 local road in the townland of Cornaveigh (site entrance 5). • The permanent realignment of 2 no. existing field entrances for construction and operational access from the L7828 local road in the townland of Ballyneague (site entrance 6 and 7). • The permanent realignment of 3 no. existing field access for construction and operational access from the L7829 local road in the townland of Ballydaniel (site entrance 8, 9 and 10). • The permanent realignment of 1 no. existing entrance for construction and operational access from the L38032 local road in the townland of Knocknagappagh (site entrance 11). • Underground electrical ducting and cabling, including 3 no. road crossings (local roads L7829, L3803 and L78281) and 3 no. culvert crossings on the L3808. • The provision of 5 no. Temporary construction compounds of which there will be 1 main temporary construction compound (Compound No. 1 located in Ballyneague) ca. 5,200m2 with associated temporary offices, staff facilities parking and security fencing, and 4 no. additional temporary laydown areas of ca. 2,000m2 each located in the townlands of Ballydaniel, Barnaviddane, Cornaveigh and Youghalpark. • Landscaping works encompassing the removal of 395m hedgerow, the planting of 1,400m of new hedgerow and up to 31,000m of linear hedgerow and mosaic hedgerow as required all included in a Landscape Mitigation Plan. • The provision of Biodiversity Enhancement Areas. • The provision of 1 no. temporary spoil storage area. • The construction of a ca. 7,800m2 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) compound including 56 no. Battery Container Units, 7 no. Inverter Twin Skid Units each consisting of 2 no. Inverters and 1 no. Transformer housed in Modular Enclosures, Communications Building housing switchgear and controls, House Transformer, Back-up Generator and Fuel Supply located in a Bunded Reinforced Concrete Plinth Area, Control Building, Internal Access Tracks, Security Fencing, CCTV, Lighting, Drainage any all other ancillary infrastructure. • All ancillary development such as drainage infrastructure (clean water cut off drains), security fencing, CCTV, weather stations and storage containers for spare parts. The application is requesting a 10-year planning permission for the development of a solar farm with an operational life of 40 years. A separate planning applicatio