Tipperary County Council grants permission for 6.1-hectare solar farm at The Old Convent, Ballingarry Lower, Co. Tipperary

In context

It is one of 20 solar farm applications Tipperary 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 applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 20 October 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

a). alterations to existing disused convent buildings and for change of use to tourist accommodation to include 7 individually accessed dwellings comprising of 2 no. 2-bed houses, 2 no. 3-bed houses, 2 no 4-bed houses and 1 no. 5 bed house, b). change of use and conversion of existing school room to digital hub, c). conversion of existing mews building to ancillary building with PV solar array on south-facing pitch, d). change of use and conversion of existing disused chapel to community building, e). change of use and conversion of Presentation National school to showroom and cafe, f). demolition of 4 single-storey extensions, g). construction of two roads on site, h). improvements to existing site entrances, i). upgrade existing effluent treatment system, j), provision of permeably paved car-parking spaces, k). construct an outdoor cafe area, l). bin storage stations, m). subdivision of grounds to provide garden space for each house, n). improvement to landscaping and site boundaries and all ancillary site and other works at The Old Convent, Ballingarry Lower, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, E41 AY66. This application relates to development which comprises of the carrying out of works to protected structures.