95-hectare solar farm proposed at Ballygoghlan, Glin, Co. Limerick

In context

It is one of 21 solar farm applications Limerick 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 Limerick County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

a renewable energy development as defined by The European Union (Planning and Development) (Renewable Energy) Regulations 2025. The Proposed Development, subject of this application, will consist of: The development and operation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) farm with a total area of 285.74ha, 94.98ha of which lies within Co. Limerick. The application seeks a 10-year permission with an operational lifetime of 40 years and comprises the following - i. Construction and operation of up to 270,591 sqm. of solar PV arrays on ground-mounted metal frames, with a maximum overall height of up to 2.96 metres. ii. Internal underground trenching, electrical cabling and ducting between the solar PV arrays and electrical invertor / transformer skid units. iii. Up to 9 no. electrical inverter / transformer skid units. iv. Construction and operational access to the site by 3 no. site entrances using existing field access points. v. 2 no. temporary construction compound and ancillary facilities for the duration of the construction phase of the project. vi. Provision of single storey substation control building of 217 sqm and associated works. vii. 33kV collector cable network, joint bays and associated works. viii. Internal access tracks, site landscaping and drainage works, security fencing, CCTV and all associated ancillary site development works. ix. The decommissioning and reinstatement of the solar farm at the end of its operational life. The elements of the Proposed Project located in Co. Limerick, as described above in i – ix, are the subject of this planning application. The remaining elements, including the construction of 524,178 sqm of solar PV arrays on ground-mounted metal frames, with a maximum overall height of up to 2.96 metres, internal underground trenching, electrical cabling and ducting between the solar PV arrays and electrical invertor / transformer skid units, up to 20 no. electrical / inverter transformer skid units, construction and operational access to the site by 6 no. site entrances, using 4 no. existing field access points and 2 no. new access points, 3 no. temporary construction compound and ancillary facilities for the duration of the construction phase of the project, 33kV collector cab