145 MW solar farm proposed at STONESTOWN, KILCAMIN CRANCREAGH, Co. Offaly

In context

It is one of 28 solar farm applications Offaly County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 337 nationally. Of the 573 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 92% were granted.

What happens next

The five-week window for public submissions has closed. The council normally decides within eight weeks of the application being lodged, unless it requests further information, which stops the clock.

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, WITH AN OPERATIONAL LIFE OF 40 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF COMMISSIONING. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT COMPRISES OF A SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) FARM AND ALL ASSOCIATED WORKS. THIS APPLICATION INVOLVES THE INSTALLATION OF 145MW OF SOLAR PV OVER AN APPROXIMATE AREA OF 148 HECTARES, INCLUDING 41 NO. TRANSFORMERS AND 1 NO. RMU. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL UTILISE 1 NO. EXISTING CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE, AND 2 NO. EXISTING OPERATIONAL ENTRANCES. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL UTILISE EXISTING INTERNAL ACCESS TRACKS AND WILL INVOLVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 7KM OF NEW INTERNAL ACCESS TRACKS. THE SITE IS CENTRED AT X (ITM) 608494.8003 AND Y (ITM) 716388.2449. A NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT WILL ALSO BE SUBMITTED TO THE THE PLANNING AUTHORITY WITH THIS APPLICATION. THE DEVELOPMENT IS COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY DIRECTIVE III (DIRECTIVE 2023/2413).