County Cork solar farm gets green light despite objections
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A group of local residents have failed in their attempt to block the development of a large solar farm outside Charleville, Co Cork, following the decision of An Bord Pleanála to give the green light to the proposed development.
The board upheld the decision of Cork County Council to grant planning permission to renewable energy firm, Soleire Renewables SPV Limited, for the construction of a 92.75-hectare solar farm across a number of townlands in north Cork located near Ballyhea, around 3.4km south-west of Charleville.
It rejected an appeal against the local authority’s ruling by a group of around two dozen residents living near the site of the proposed solar farm who claimed the company’s planning application should never have been validated by Cork County Council due to a lack of information and non-compliance with statutory requirements.
The grant of planning permission for a 10-year period will allow the solar farm to operate for 40 years once constructed.
The solar farm comprises four separate land parcels divided by local roads, while an underground grid connection route will run underneath private lands and a number of public roads for one kilometre before connecting with an electricity grid interconnector.
Subject to compliance with a number of planning conditions, An Bord Pleanála said the proposed development was compatible with European, national, and regional renewable energy policies as well as with the provisions of the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028.
The board said the solar farm would not seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of the area or have an unacceptable impact on the character of the landscape.
It determined that the development would also be acceptable in terms of traffic impact and safety and “would make a positive contribution to Ireland’s renewable energy and security of energy supply requirements.”
One of the conditions is that Soleire Renewables and any landowners with an interest in land used for the solar farm must enter into a legal agreement with both Cork County Council and Limerick City and County Council that the lands will be treated as agricultural lands for the purposes of valuations in relation to plans for the construction of a motorway between Cork and Limerick as they are situated close to the proposed route for the M20.
In their appeal, the group of residents claimed the plans for the solar farm constituted a strategic infrastructural development which should have been submitted directly to An Bord Pleanála.
They also claimed a “consultation process” carried out by the developer was “wholly inadequate,” while also arguing there was a requirement for an environmental impact assessment.
The objectors complained that there was “a paucity of data” and missing surveys on protected species as well as expressing concern that the development of the solar farm would create serious traffic issues.
However, an inspector with An Bord Pleanála said the process followed by Cork County Council in the planning process was “acceptable.” Consultants for Soleire Renewables claimed the appeal by local residents was vexatious after expressing concern about the bona fides of the objectors and claiming some may have been misrepresented and misinformed – an allegation vehemently disputed by the appellants.
The company also claimed its public consultation process had resulted in a number of significant design changes including the removal of solar panels in a number of fields.