Westmeath County Council grants permission for 9.7-hectare solar farm at Dublin Road, Petitswood, Co. Westmeath

In context

It is one of 7 solar farm applications Westmeath County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 333 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 2 December 2024. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

development of 245 no. residential units (a Large-scale Residential Development - LRD) and supporting infrastructure at Dublin Road, Petitswood Td., Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, a site of circa 9.72 hectares. The proposed development will comprise the construction of 245 no. residential units as comprises: 70 no. 4-bedroom semi-detached houses all at two-storey height with attic accommodation; 132 no. 3-bedroom houses comprising terraced, semi-detached and detached, all at two-storey height; 8 no. 2-bedroom duplex units in 4 no. three-storey corner units; 1 no. four-storey apartment block (circa. 3,370 sqm) comprising, 14 no. 1-bedroom units; 15 no. 2-bedroom apartment units; and 6 no. 3-bedroom apartment units, with roof mounted solar panels. The proposed development will also provide; 1 no. two-storey creche/childcare facility (circa. 824 sqm), 442 no. car parking spaces across the entire site, in the form of, in curtilage and out of curtilage residential parking, creche and apartment dedicated parking, visitor and accessibility parking spaces, 550 no. secure bicycle parking spaces, communal open space totalling 1.78 hectares, private garden / amenity areas as incorporates a ‘biodiversity corridor’ via shared communal open spaces, all associated hard and soft-landscaping, boundary treatments, roads, footpaths, cycle lanes, bin storage, 3 no. ESB sub-stations and all other ancillary works above and below ground. Access will be provided via the R392 Dublin Road and the L1133 Ardmore Road. The proposed development is a Large-scale Residential Development and can be viewed at www.petitswood-infill-lrd.ie