Tipperary County Council grants permission for 10.8-hectare solar farm at Ballynilard, 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 17 November 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.

alterations to the previously permitted solar farm as follows: a) Replacement of a permitted single storey terminal electrical station and a separate single storey electrical switchroom (permitted as part of a solar farm permission by Tipperary County Council Reg. Ref. 16600359) with a single storey 20kV substation building on the site of the previously permitted terminal electrical station; repositioning of a permitted storage container, and minor solar panel layout revision adjacent to the proposed substation; repositioning of entrance gate and security fencing at entrance to the solar farm field; and provision of new gate in perimeter security fence adjacent to Ballynilard Stream; and b) Permission to increase the operational period of the solar farm from 25 years to 40 years