Offaly County Council grants permission for 21.6-hectare solar farm at LURGAN, MOATE, Co. Offaly

In context

It is one of 28 solar farm applications Offaly County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 349 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 21 November 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS TO CONSTRUCT AND COMPLETE A SOLAR PV DEVELOPMENT. THE DEVELOPMENT COVERS A TOTAL SITE AREA OF 21.6 HECTARES AND WILL INCLUDE PV PANELS MOUNTED ON METAL FRAMES, NEW INTERNAL ACCESS TRACKS, UNDERGROUND CABLING, PERIMETER FENCING WITH CCTV CAMERAS, 14 NO. INVERTER STATIONS, AND ALL ANCILLARY GRID INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSOCIATED WORKS. THE SOLAR FARM WOULD BE OPERATIONAL FOR 40 YEARS. THE ASSOCIATED ACCESS, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPOUND AND CLIENT SUBSTATION IS LOCATED AT CULLEENAGOWER, MOATE, COUNTY WESTMEATH AND IS SUBJECT TO A CONCURRENT APPLICATION SUBMITTED TO WESTMEATH COUNTY COUNCIL. A NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT (NIS) HAS BEEN SUBMITTED WITH THIS PLANNING APPLICATION