Kilkenny County Council grants permission for 53.5-hectare solar farm at Ground Mounted Solar Array, Co. Kilkenny

In context

It is one of 13 solar farm applications Kilkenny County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 333 nationally. Of the 572 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 12 September 2024. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues. The applicant sought a 10-year permission, which sets how long they have to start the development.

The development description, as lodged

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

Kilderry Solar Farm Ltd. seeks a 10 year planning permission with an operational lifetime of 40 years from the date of commissioning for the development of a ground mounted solar array as well as national grid connection and all ancillary works in the townland of Kilderry, and adjoining townlands of and adjoining town lands of Scart, Ballynamona, Rathgarvan (or Clifden), Churchclara, Clarabricken, Clara Upper, Clara, Kilmagar, Feathallagh and Ballysallagh, Co. Kilkenny. The proposed development comprises the following: i. Up to 200,000 sq.m of solar PV panels up to 2.6m in height mounted on metal frames complete with c. 370 string inverters mounted to the rear of the panels; ii. Up to 16 no. Transformer Stations; iii. 38kV Substation compound including 1 no. customer control room (29.25 sq.m), 1 no. ESB control room(22.75 sq.m.) 1 no. switch gear room (29.25 sq.m.) and 1 no. spare room (21.55 sq.m.), 1 no. 38kV cable bay, 1 no. lightning mast (18m in height), 1 no. telecoms pole (11m in height), perimeter palisade fencing (2.6m in height), 7 no. lighting poles (c.3.2m in height) and associated electrical infrastructure; iv. Proposed new entrance from the Johnswell Road (L2616-9) for construction and operational access to the site; v. 2 no. temporary construction compounds for the duration of the construction phase of the project; vi. Internal tracks, site landscaping and drainage works, internal site cabling, security fencing, CCTV and all associated ancillary site development works; vii. National grid connection in the form of an underground 38 kV electrical cable (c. 8.5km in length located in the public road) from the proposed 38kV substation to the existing Kilkenny 110kV substation via the townlands of Scart, Ballynamona, Rathgarvan (or Clifden), Churchclara, Clarabricken, Clara Upper, Clara, Kilmagar, Feathallagh, Ballysallagh and Kilderry. The planning application is accompanied by a Natura Impact Statement