11.9-hectare solar farm proposed at Ballymacken, Portlaoise, Co. Laois

In context

It is one of 4 solar farm applications Laois 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 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 Laois County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

construct, operate and decommission a photovoltaic solar farm over an area of 2 hectares comprising of photovoltaic panels on ground mounted frames, a switch room building, Perimeter fencing, hardcore access tracks with underground ducting routes, landscaping, new site entrance and access road to solar farm and existing sawmill facility, surface water drainage with underground attenuation tank, revision of existing site boundaries along with all associated ancillary development works.