Kerry County Council grants permission for 5.1-hectare solar farm at Dunloe Hotel and Gardens, Dunloe Lower Beaufort Killarney, Co. Kerry

In context

It is one of 11 solar farm applications Kerry County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 335 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 19 February 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

The development will consist of a) demolition of the existing bedroom wing of the hotel (comprising of two blocks), the spa / leisure and banqueting wing and connecting circulation space all at the main hotel building and demolition of an existing stable block, b) construction of new hotel accommodation comprising of a five-storey over part basement bedroom wing containing 97 no. guest rooms; a new two-storey (basement/lower ground floor and ground floor) over part undercroft spa / leisure and banqueting wing (including internal and external swimming pools); a single storey over basement link connecting new spa / leisure and banqueting wing to existing reception building; a two-storey over basement circulation / leisure / services area at the rear of the existing reception building, connecting to the new bedroom wing; a new first floor restaurant and kitchen on an existing first floor terrace area of the existing reception building; and local alterations to the existing reception building to facilitate the interface of the new built elements, c) the provision of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the existing reception building, d) the placement of communications antennae on the proposed new bedroom wing, e) revisions to an existing fire tender access route, f) landscaping works including localised ground reprofiling, hard and soft landscaping and amenity lighting, g) localised connections and new works to site surface water, wastewater and water supply infrastructure, and h) all associated site development works. All on a site of approx. 5.076ha.