Galway County Council grants permission for 32.5-hectare solar farm at Athenry, Co. Galway

In context

It is one of 12 solar farm applications Galway 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 24 October 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

for the proposed development will consist of: • construction of a 4no. storey medical device manufacturing facility providing warehousing, production areas, administration offices & restaurant (GIA: 40,226.6 m2); • construction of a central utilities compound to comprise a gas insulated switchgear substation building (GIA: 124.57 m2), pumphouse building (GIA: 84.79 m2) & MV building (GIA: 306.46 m2); • the development includes 4no. surface car park areas, which comprise a total of 500no. car parking spaces (including 100no. EV charging spaces & 18no. accessible spaces), 10no. motorcycle parking spaces & 178no. bicycle parking spaces; • provision of an outdoor landscaped ‘Wild Plaza’ & a 2.1km nature trail; • provision of roof mounted solar PV panels & plant equipment on the roof of the manufacturing facility; • provision of water, foul & surface water drainage infrastructure, including – o wastewater treatment plant, o processed wastewater holding, treatment, testing & filtration facility, & o pumping stations & attenuation areas, • provision of access roads, landscaping, alterations/removal of existing field boundaries, public lighting & all other site development works & services ancillary to the proposed development; • provision of pedestrian connectivity infrastructure on the R348, Prospect Road & L3103 including footpaths, pedestrian crossings & all associated works; • provision of temporary construction compound during the construction phase of the development. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) & Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) will be submitted to the planning authority with the planning application