South Dublin County Council refuses permission for 8.6-hectare solar farm at Newcastle, Newcastle South, Co. Dublin

In context

It is one of 11 solar farm applications South Dublin County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 335 nationally. Of the 573 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 5 August 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

construction of 280 no. dwellings, a creche, and open space as follows: A) 128 no. 2 storey houses (8 no. 2 bedroom houses, 94 no. 3 bedroom houses, 25 no. 4 bedroom houses and 1 no. 5 bedroom house; B) 116 no. apartments in 2 no. 5 storey buildings comprising (54 no. 1 bedroom apartments & 62 no. 2 bedroom apartments, all with terrace or balcony along with solar panels and green roofs at roof level as well as telecommunications infrastructure comprising 9 no. support poles on ballast mounts (to accommodate 1No. 2m 2G/3G/4G antenna & 1No. 5G antenna each) & 3 no. poles on lift overrun (to accommodate 2No. Ø0.3m Microwave links each at roof level of Apartment building B, together with associated equipment and cabinets/shrouds); C) 36 no. apartments/duplex apartments in 3 no. 3 storey buildings – (18 no. 2 bedroom apartments and 18 no. 3 bedroom duplex apartments) all with terrace; D) Amendment to permitted Creche (c. 518sqm) in ‘Graydon’ (ABP References: TA06S.305343 & ABP-305343-19) to now provide a Creche of c. 778 sq. m of 2 no. storeys; E) Open space, hard and soft landscaping (including public lighting & boundary treatment), communal open space for duplex apartments and apartments; along with single storey bicycle/bin stores and ESB substations; F) Vehicular access from the Athgoe Road from a new signalised junction along with upgrades to footpath and pedestrian crossing as well as provision of vehicular/pedestrian/cycle link to permitted ‘Graydon’ (TA06S.305343) ‘Newcastle Boulevard’ to the east, as well as 423 no. car parking spaces and 370 no. bicycle spaces and all internal roads, cycleways, green routes and paths; G) Provision of Surface water attenuation measures and underground attenuation systems, connection to water supply, and provision of foul drainage infrastructure as well as underground local pumping station to Irish Water specifications and all ancillary site development/construction/landscaping works. The application contains a statement setting out how the proposal will be consistent with the objectives of the relevant Development Plan and Local Area Plan. The application contains a statement indicating why permission should be granted for the proposed development, having regard to a consideration specified in section 37(2)(b) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, notwithstanding that the proposed development materially contravenes a relevant development plan or local area plan other than in relation to the zoning of the land.