Galway County Council grants permission for 4.3-hectare solar farm at Athenry, Co. Galway

In context

It is one of 13 solar farm applications Galway County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 339 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 18 August 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.

for a Large-Scale Residential Development. The application is being made under the provisions of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large Scale Residential Development) Act 2021. The proposed development will consist of the following: construction of 136 no. residential units comprising of: 21 no. 2-bed residential units, 104 no. 3-bed residential units, 11 no. 4-bed residential units; the provision of pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure fronting the development on the Raheen Road (L-3103); the installation of a raised zebra crossing on the Raheen Road (L-3103); provision of 2 no. pedestrian and cyclist entrances from the Raheen Road (L-3103) and 1 no. vehicular entrance from the Raheen Road (L-3103); the provision of hard and soft landscaping and boundary treatments including a new stone wall along the southern boundary; the setback of the existing stonewall along the southeastern boundary; provision of shared communal and private open space, car and bicycle parking, bin storage, public lighting, photovoltaic panels at roof level and 2 no. ESB substations; all associated surface water, watermain and foul water drainage services and connections (including nature-based drainage solutions and a pumping station) and all associated site works and ancillary services necessary to facilitate the proposed development. The application contains a statement setting out how the proposal is consistent with the objectives of the Galway County Development Plan 2022-2028