Meath County Council grants permission for 215-hectare solar farm at Ballymacoll Little Boolies Nuttstown, Co. Meath

In context

It is one of 17 solar farm applications Meath 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 10 April 2025. 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 Meath County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

the proposed development will consist of an application for a 10-year planning permission for the construction of, and a 40 year operation and subsequent decommissioning of, a development consisting of a 215 hectare solar farm (red line boundary). The solar farm comprises of two separate land parcels divided by local roads. The proposed solar farm will consist of a series of ground mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, mounted on steel support structures and in some areas on concrete shoes to protect possible underground archaeological features, together with 28 electrical transformation enclosures, underground cabling, 2 no. temporary construction compounds, the use of existing farm access tracks and existing site entrances, inverters, CCTV poles and cameras, deer type security/boundary fencing with some areas of boundary development on concrete shoes to further protect possible underground archaeological features, landscaping and biodiversity measures and all associated ancillary development works, for the purpose of generating renewable energy electricity and transmitting it in the townlands of Ballymacoll Little, Boolies, Nuttstown, Ballintry, Belgree, Rowan and Kinoristown, Co. Meath. A Natura Impact Statement will also be submitted to the Planning Authority with this application. Significant further information/revised plans submitted on this application