Offaly County Council grants permission for 6.2-hectare solar farm at COLÁISTE ÍOSAGÁIN KILMALOGUE, PORTARLINGTON, Co. Offaly

In context

It is one of 28 solar farm applications Offaly 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 20 September 2024. 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.

DEVELOPMENT ON A SITE MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 6.2 HECTARES AT COLÁISTE ÍOSAGÁIN, KILMALOGUE, PORTARLINGTON, CO. OFFALY, R32 HV25. THE DEVELOPMENT WILL CONSIST OF: (i) DEMOLITION/REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL AND REMOVAL OF TEMPORARY BUILDINGS, (ii) CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PERMANENT PART 3-STOREY, PART 2-STOREY POST PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING FOR COLÁISTE ÍOSAGÁIN, PORTARLINGTON (12,646.3 SQ.M FLOOR AREA) WITH ASSOCIATED EXTERNAL SIGNAGE. THE CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF THE NEW SCHOOL COMPRISE (a) 48 GENERAL CLASSROOMS, 24 SPECIALIST TEACHING ROOMS WITH ASSOCIATED PREPARATION ROOMS, 4 SPECIAL NEEDS CLASSROOMS WITHIN A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS SUITE, DOUBLE HEIGHT MP HALL AND ASSOCIATED PE ANCILLARY ACCOMMODATION, LIBRARY, STAFFROOM, ADMINISTRATION ROOMS, TOILETS, STORES AND GENERAL ANCILLARY ACCOMMODATION AND A DOUBLE HEIGHT GENERAL PURPOSE HALL WITH ASSOCIATED KITCHEN AND STORE. (iii) EXTERNAL COVERED AREA, EXTERNAL CONSTRUCTION STUDIES STORE, BIN STORE, AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP COMPOUND AND ESB SUBSTATION (iv) SITE DEVELOPMENT WORKS INCLUDING REVISIONS TO VEHICULAR/PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS TO PROVIDE CAR PARKING AND SET-DOWN SPACES INCLUDING 104 NO. STANDARD CAR PARKING SPACES FOR STAFF/VISITORS, 6 NO. UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES, 120 NO. CYCLE PARKING SPACES, TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT VEHICULAR ACCESS AND CYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ONTO BOG ROAD; (iv) 7 NO. HARD PLAY/MUGA COURTS (v) ROOF MOUNTED PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ALSO INCLUDES HARD & SOFT LANDSCAPING, RESOURCE AREAS, ACTIVITY COURTYARDS, SEN GARDEN/PLAY SPACES, A GRASS PITCH, ASSOCIATED SITE AND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS. FOLLOWING A REQUIREMENT OF OFFALY COUNTY COUNCIL, A NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING AUTHORITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE APPLICATION.