Offaly County Council grants permission for 2.6 MW solar farm at Tullamore, 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 13 November 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.

the construction of a solar PV development with an installed capacity of up to 2.6 MWdc (MEC=0) to provide electrical power to the existing distillery comprising approximately 4,100 no. photovoltaic panels on ground mounted frames within a site area of 3.90 hectares and associated ancillary development including 1 no. transformer station, 5 no. CCTV security cameras mounted on 8 metre high poles, perimeter security fencing (2.4 metres high), internal access tracks, extension to existing maintenance access track on the site to the solar PV development, installation of underground cable to connect the transformer station and the distillery and site works required to facilitate the development including the provision of a secondary vehicle access and gate on the northern boundary of the site. The proposed development is for modifications to an establishment to which the major accidents directive applies and is for the purposes of an activity requiring an integrated pollution prevention and control licence