Kildare County Council grants permission for 4.5-hectare solar farm at Great Connell, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

In context

It is one of 12 solar farm applications Kildare 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 22 May 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

For the consolidation and extend the established and permitted industrial and related activities on the MIL headquarters and industrial site to accommodate immediate and medium-term business development and employment generation objectives, to rationalise the car parking on the overall site to enhance safety for employees and site operatives, to make more efficient use of the space available on site and to enhance operational efficiencies, and related environmental and public realm improvements at the MIL headquarters complex. The proposed extension and works compromise the following: (1) Extension of the established yard over an area of 1.67 ha to the south of the established yard area to accommodate: (a) the construction of a vehicle maintenance building and associated offices (1,459 sq.m GFA) incorporating solar PV panels at roof level (224 sq.m), and 8 no. external storage tanks; (b) the extension of permitted access spur road off the Newbridge Southern Outer Orbital Route (NSOOR) over a distance of 44.5 m (KCC Ref: 211780) to accommodate access to the extended yard area, and a new agricultural access on the eastern side of the proposed road extension; (c) the construction of a two storey security and access control building at the entrance to site (269 sq.m GFA) incorporating solar PV Panels at roof level (22 sq.m); (d) a materials and construction equipment storage area; (e) a construction site cabin and container maintenance and storage area; (f) a vehicle and equipment wash down bay; (g) a HGV fueling plinth and above ground fuel tanks; (h) surface water drainage infrastructure; (i) HGV and service vehicle parking (8 no. spaces), plant maintenance with EV charging points; and (j) all associated landscaping, and ancillary development and works. (2) The reconfiguration and consolidation of existing car parking on the wider site (constructed under Reg. Ref. 21/1780) into a single car park on the eastern boundary of the yard accommodating 150 car parking spaces, an increase of 20 no. car parking spaces over that previously permitted, and the use of the relocated car parking areas as yard area ancillary to the established use of the site. (3) The removal of a surface water attenuation swale constructed under Ref. Ref. 21/1780 and the incorporation of that attenuation volume into a relocated swale and a proposed new underground stormtech attenuation system. (4) The demolition of an established storage building of 178 sq.m. (5) Retention of an enclosed c