Galway County Council grants permission for 140-hectare solar farm at Ballymoneen & Grange East, Cregmore, Co. Galway

In context

It is one of 13 solar farm applications Galway 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 24 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 Galway County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

of pl ref 20/961 for permission for development at this site at Ballymoneen and Grange East, Co Galway. The development will consist of a planning permission for a period of 5 years to construct and complete a Solar PV Energy and Battery Storage development with a total site area of circa 140.9 Hectares to include a single storey electrical substation building, electrical transformer and inverter station modules, solar PV panels ground mounted on support structures, battery containers and associated infrastructure, internal access tracks, security fencing, electrical cabling/ ducting, CCTV and other ancillary infrastructure, drainage, additional landscaping and habitat enhancement as required and associated site development works including works related to the access to the site. The solar farm would be operational for 35 years. Gross floor space of proposed development: 1886.39 sqm