34.6-hectare solar farm proposed at Dublin 22, Co. Dublin

In context

It is one of 13 solar farm applications South Dublin 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 five-week window for public submissions has closed. The council is due to decide by 21 February 2024, unless it requests further information, which stops the clock.

The development description, as lodged

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

10-year permission for development for a Filling & Packaging Facility for medicines, located at Grange Castle Business Park West, Milltown and Loughtown Upper Townlands, New Nangor Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 as described herein. The proposed development will consist of buildings with a total area of approximately 147,192 square metres and infrastructure required to support the proposed development including: (a) 3 no. 3-level filling buildings, each sized approximately 10,637 square metres and approximately 22.1 metres high, with roof-mounted plant and equipment and solar panels. (b) A 2-level warehouse building with high-bay automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS) area, sized approximately 18,655 square metres and approximately 33.7 meters high, with roof-mounted plant and equipment and solar panels. (c) 2 no. 3-level assembly and packaging buildings, one sized approximately 24,975 square metres and approximately 17.9 meters high, and one sized approximately 24,175 square metres and approximately 17.9 meters high both with roof-mounted plant and equipment and solar panels. (d) A 5-level administration building sized approximately 20,613 square metres and approximately 28.5 metres high with roof-mounted plant and equipment and solar panels. (e) A 4-level laboratory building sized approximately 4,733 square metres and approximately 21.8 metres high and roof-mounted plant and equipment and solar panels. (f) A 2-level pedestrian and materials spine building sized approximately 10,815 square metres and approximately 15.5 metres high, with roof mounted plant and equipment including louvred screen. (g) A 2-level Central Utilities Building (CUB) building sized approximately 9,312 square metres and approximately 17.7 metres, with roof-mounted plant and equipment including louvred screen. (h) A 2-level pedestrian and materials link area sized approximately 502 square metres and approximately 15.5 metres high with roof-mounted plant and equipment. (i) A single storey bicycle shelter and cyclist shower/changing facility building located to the west of the administration building, sized approximately 440 square metres and approximately 4 metres high. (j) A single storey fire water pumphouse sized approximately 75 square metres and approximately 6 metres high. (k) A single storey water pumphouse sized approximately 200 square metres and approximately 6 metres high. (l) A chemical stores sized approximately 120 metres and approximately 6 metres high located in the yard adjacent to the proposed Central Utilities Building (CUB). (m) A proposed car park including approximately 551 car parking spaces, including accessible car parking spaces, electric vehicle charging, motorcycle parking, dedicated car-pooling spaces, all accessed from the internal Grange Castle West Business Park roads. (n) 2 no. single-storey security buildings one sized approximately 30 square metres and approximately 3.7 metres high and one sized approximately 91 square metres and approximately 3.7 metres high. (o) The proposed site infrastructure includes cooling towers/heat exchangers, a tank farm, pipe-bridges, surface water harvest tanks, docks and yard areas, including associated items of plant and equipment, an electric vehicle charging and solar panel substation to service photovoltaic panels over new car parking spaces sized approximately 50 square metres and approximately 6 metres high, 2 no. smart shelters to accommodate plant and equipment, associated works for re-routing of the existing ESB overhead wires which traverse the site to underground cables within the site, storage structures and modular control units and underground pumping facilities and internal roads and paths, fencing and site lighting. (p) the development includes an additional heavy goods vehicle entrance from the internal Grange Castle West Business Park road to the northeast corner of the proposed campus, including modifications to the existing road and footpaths. (q) Proposed new landscaping includes new landscaped and plated areas, landscaped berms, ponds, swales and surface water attenuation features, perimeter security fencing and gates. (r) Proposed new signage based at ground level and on the building facades on the proposed new buildings. (s) The works include temporary contractor compounds including temporary cabins, temporary car parking and the temporary use of existing site entrances during construction activities. (t) Proposed new surface water management infrastructure of the site, consisting of underground and surface attenuation systems, rainwater harvest cisterns and distribution pipework and the diversion and modifications to the existing public foul sewer pipelines, including the relocation of an existing macerator. (u) The re-routing of the existing watercourse to the northeast corner of the site to include additional biodiversity features. (v) The construction of a new 38kVA electrical substation compound including 3 no. buildings, one sized approximately 135 square metres and approximately 6 metres high, one sized approximately 310 square metres and approximately 6 metres high and one sized approximately 50 square metres and approximately 6 metres high and a compound to accommodate 5 no. electrical generators and associated fuel tanks and electrical transformers with dedicated vehicular access from the public road to the northwest corner of the site (w) all associated site works including sustainability features described herein. An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) accompany this planning application.