Wicklow County Council grants permission for 19-hectare solar farm at Ballymoney, Arklow, Co. Wicklow

In context

It is one of 10 solar farm applications Wicklow 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 12 June 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

amend the design of the approved development (Planning Reference: 19/627 and ABP-305289-19) which comprises consent for a Solar Farm within a site area of 19 hectares consisting of solar photovoltaic panels covering an area of up to 9.8ha on ground mounted steel frames, 1 no. on-site substation; 3 no. inverter/transformer stations, underground cables and ducts, boundary security fence, new internal tracks, CCTV cameras and all associated site services within the townland of Ballymoney, near Arklow, Co. Wicklow. Planning permission was sought for a period of 10 years. Proposed amendments include (1) relocation of part of the internal access track, and (2) a gate will be added along the access track