Donegal County Council grants permission for 4.9-hectare solar farm at LOUGHFAD, PETTIGO, Co. Donegal

In context

It is one of 7 solar farm applications Donegal County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 335 nationally. Of the 573 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 November 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

(1) CONSTRUCTION OF A GALVANISED STEEL TRUSS WEATHER RADAR TOWER WITH A TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT ROOM, A RADOME LOCATED AT THE TOP AND AN EQUIPMENT ROOM LOCATED AT THE BASE. A SECTION OF FORESTRY WILL BE FELLED TO FACILITATE THE STRUCTURE, WHICH WILL MEASURE A TOTAL OF 30M IN HEIGHT AND 8M IN DIAMETER AND WILL BE LOCATED ON A HARDCORE PLATFORM. ACCESS TO THE STRUCTURE WILL BE VIA A NEW ACCESS ROAD OFF THE EXISTING FOREST HAUL ROAD WHICH WILL BE UPGRADED TO A WIDTH OF 3.8M WHERE REQUIRED, (2) INSTALLATION OF A SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) ARRAY CONSISTING OF 24 SOLAR PANELS ON A FIXED GROUND-MOUNTED FRAME, BOUNDARY TREATMENT TO DEFINE THE SITE AND SECURE THE WEATHER RADAR AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS AND SERVICES