Donegal County Council grants permission for 9.7-hectare solar farm at CARRONTLIEVE CARROWMULLIN FIGARY, LIFFORD PO, Co. Donegal

In context

It is one of 7 solar farm applications Donegal 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 applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 12 February 2026. 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.

A TEN-YEAR PLANNING PERMISSION FOR DEVELOPMENT AT THE EXISTING BUNCRANA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT (WWTP) LOCATED AT RAILWAY ROAD, BALLYMACARRY LOWER, CO. DONEGAL; THE EXISTING FAHAN WWTP LOCATED AT CARRONTLIEVE, FAHAN, CO. DONEGAL; AND ALONG THE R238 REGIONAL ROAD WITHIN THE TOWNLANDS OF CARRONTLIEVE, CARROWMULLIN, FIGARY, LISFANNAN, LUDDAN, AND BALLYMACARRY LOWER. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL CONSIST OF: (1) UPGRADE WORKS TO THE EXISTING BUNCRANA WWTP REQUIRING AN EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING SITE TO INCREASE ITS DESIGN POPULATION EQUIVALENT (PE) FROM 13,200PE TO 17,700PE COMPRISING (A) CONSTRUCTION OF A SECONDARY TREATMENT TANK, BLOWERS AND SOUND ATTENUATION BARRIER, PUMP SUMP AND VENT STACK, FLOW METER CHAMBER, VALVE CHAMBER, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, FLOOD PROTECTION WALL, 2 NO. PICKET FENCE THICKENER TANKS, A SITE DRAINAGE PUMPING STATION, INTERNAL SITE ACCESS ROAD, INTERCONNECTING PIPEWORK AND MANHOLES AND 4 NO. PARKING SPACES, (B) INTERNAL UPGRADES TO THE INLET WORKS BUILDING, INTERNAL UPGRADES TO THE CONTROL AND SLUDGE DEWATERING BUILDING, INTERNAL UPGRADES TO THE OUTFALL PUMPING STATION, REPURPOSING OF THE PRIMARY SETTLEMENT TANKS AS FINAL EFFLUENT BALANCING TANKS, RECONFIGURATION OF THE FLOW DISTRIBUTION CHAMBER AND INTERNAL UPGRADES TO THE SLUDGE HOLDING TANK, (C) REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING SITE ACCESS GATE WITH A PALISADE SECURITY GATE, (D) INSTALLATION OF ROOF MOUNTED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) PANELS ON SOUTH FACING ROOFS OF THE EXISTING INLET WORKS, CONTROL AND SLUDGE DEWATERING AND PROPOSED ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS, (E) DECOMMISSIONING AND DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING SITE DRAINAGE PUMPING STATION, GAS HOLDING TANK, PICKET FENCE THICKENER AND SLUDGE DIGESTION TANK AND (F) ALL HARD AND SOFT LANDSCAPING WORKS INCLUDING SCREEN PLANTING AND ALL ASSOCIATED ANCILLARY WORKS INCLUDING SITE WORKS AND TEMPORARY WORKING AREAS, (2) UPGRADE WORKS TO THE EXISTING FAHAN WWTP TO CONVERT IT INTO A WASTEWATER PUMPING STATION (WWPS) COMPRISING (A) CONSTRUCTION OF A STORMWATER HOLDING TANK, PUMP SUMP AND VENT STACK, VALVE CHAMBER, INLET FLUME, SURGE VESSEL, WET KIOSK, 2 NO. CONTROL KIOSKS, CHEMICAL SKID, BUNDED CHEMICAL STORAGE TANK, EMERGENCY SHOWER, WELFARE UNIT, FLOOD PROTECTION WALL WITH GATE, INTERCONNECTING PIPEWORK AND MANHOLES, (B) DECOMMISSIONING AND DEMOLITION OF THE SITE GATE AND WING WALLS, SEPTIC TANK AND PRELIMINARY EQUIPMENT, (C) MATERIAL ALTERATION OF THE EXISTING SITE ACCESS TO INCORPORATE A NEW AND REALIGNED SECURITY MESH SITE GATE AND WINGWALLS AN