345-hectare solar farm proposed at Listowel, Co. Kerry

In context

It is one of 11 solar farm applications Kerry 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 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.

INCOMPLETE: RED III A 10-year permission for the development of a solar farm on a site of c. 349 hectares in the town lands of Kealid, Gortdromagownagh, Lissaniska (Newtownsandes), Beennanaspuck, Pilgrim hill, 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; 37 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; 15 no. solar farm site entrances as follows, 3 no. on the L-1021 public road (2 no. upgrades to existing agricultural field access and 1 no. upgrade 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-10071 and 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; felling of c. 1.5ha of forestry; internal culvert crossings; Installation of onsite transformer compound with associated electrical infrastructure in the town land of Beennanaspuck and a prefabricated containerised 110 kV GIS switching station in the town land of Shronebeirne to facilitate a future over-the fence connection to the adjacent Knockanure 220/110 kV substation located within the town land of Trien. The transformer compound will include an Independent Power Producer Building of c. 158.5 sq m, a 110 kV transformer, MV Switchgear, an 18 m high lightning monopole mast, boundary fence and associated ancillary development; landscaping and biodiversity enhancement measures; boundary fencing and all associated ancillary drainage development, site works and services. The solar farm will be operational for 40