354-hectare solar farm proposed at Listowel Kerry, 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 five-week window for public submissions has closed. The council normally decides within eight weeks of the application being lodged, unless it requests further information, which stops the clock.

The development description, as lodged

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

REDIII A 10-year permission for the development of a solar farm on a site of c. 354 hectares in the townlands of Kealid, Gortdromagownagh, Lissaniska (Newtownsandes), Beennanaspuck, Pilgrimhill, Shronebeirne, Lacka East, and Trien in Co. Kerry. This application relates to renewable energy development as defined by the European Union (Planning and Development) (Renewable Energy) Regulations 2025. The solar farm will consist of solar photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames; 36 no. hardstanding locations for electrical skids; new internal access tracks; underground power and communications cables and ducts, including along the L-10071 public road; horizontal road crossings for underground power and communications cables and ducts under the R523, L-1021, L-10071 and the L-6035; 16 no. solar farm site entrances as follows, 4 no. on the L-1021 public road (2 no. upgrades to existing agricultural field access and 2 no. upgrades to existing commercial inert waste sites), 2 no. on the L-1022 public road (upgrades to existing agricultural field/farmyard access), 3 no. on the L-6035 public road (1 no. upgrade to existing private road access, 2 no. upgrades to existing agricultural field access), 1 no. on the R-523 public road (upgrades to existing agricultural field access), 6 no. on the L-10071 public road (4 no. upgrades to existing agricultural field access and 2 no. new access); 5 no. passing bays to serve the L-10071and 3 no. passing bays to serve the L-6035 public road; access gates; 5 no. temporary site compounds of c. 4,050 sq m each to be used for storage during construction activity; weather stations; security fencing; CCTV; a watercourse crossing over the Gortanimerisk Stream; felling of c. 1.5ha of forestry; internal culvert crossings; a prefabricated containerised MV switching station in the townland of Lissaniska (Newtownsandes) with control building and associated ancillary development; Installation of onsite transformer compound with associated electrical infrastructure in the townland of Beennanaspuck and a prefabricated containerised 110kV GIS switching station in the townland of Shronebeirne to facilitate a future over-the fence connection to the adjacent Knockanure 220/110kV substation located within the townland of Trien. Please see site Notice for full description due to text box character limitations.