Meath County Council grants permission for 10.7-hectare solar farm at Tayto Snacks Ltd., Kilbrew Ashbourne, Co. Meath

In context

It is one of 17 solar farm applications Meath 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 11 February 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

the demolition of the existing single & two storey offices & high level walkway structure, (2,118 sqm in extent) and the construction of replacement new two storey office buildings with roof top comms/plantroom and external roof mounted plant with louvred screens and roof mounted photovoltaic solar panels (2,734 sqm in extent), the rearranging of the car parking to the front (North) complete with the landscaping of the resultant area, a new substation/transformer room/switchroom (52.5 sqm in extent), to the rear of the existing factory building and all associated site works at our premises at Kilbrew, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. The installation to rear of the site of temporary portacabins (1000 sqm in extent) to house office workers during construction. These buildings will be served by a new wastewater treatment system connected to the existing wastewater system serving the existing offices. These temporary structures will be removed once the new office is constructed and available for occupation. There will be no changes to the existing access, circulation within the overall site or to the industrial buildings and processes on site as a consequence of this application