Donegal County Council grants permission for 13.9-hectare solar farm at LIFFORD PO, Co. Donegal

In context

It is one of 8 solar farm applications Donegal County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 347 nationally. Of the 562 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 8 October 2026. 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 Donegal County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

A 10-YEAR PLANNING PERMISSION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR FARM DEVELOPMENT AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS. THE DEVELOPMENT WILL CONSIST OF LINEAR ARRAYS OF SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS ON GROUND MOUNTED FRAMES OVER TWO ADJACENT PLOTS OF CA. 13.88 HECTARES OVERALL AREA, INCLUDING: ASSOCIATED CABLING & DUCTING; A 20KV ELECTRICAL CONTROL BUILDING; SITE ENTRANCES AND ACCESS TRACKS; TRANSFORMERS AND INVERTERS; PERIMETER FENCING UP TO 2.5 METRES HIGH; POLE MOUNTED CCTV CAMERAS UP TO 3 METRES HIGH; UNDERGROUNDED ELECTRICAL CABLE TO CONNECT THE TWO SEPARATE SOLAR FARM PLOTS; TEMPORARY CONTRACTOR’S COMPOUND AND TEMPORARY STORAGE AREA; AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE DEVELOPMENT AND ANCILLARY WORKS. THE PROPOSED UNDERGROUND GRID CONNECTION CABLE OF CA. 607 METRES LENGTH WILL BE INSTALLED ALONG THE L-5754 AND L-1074 LOCAL ROADS FROM THE PROPOSED ON-SITE ELECTRICAL CONTROL BUILDING INTO THE EXISTING CONVOY ESB SUBSTATION. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE A 40-YEAR OPERATIONAL LIFESPAN FROM THE DATE OF COMMISSIONING. THE DEVELOPMENT IS COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE (RED III) RENEWABLE ENERGY DIRECTIVE III (DIRECTIVE (EU) 2023/2413)