Planning application for large-scale solar farm complexes

File Photo via Unsplash.

A planning application has been lodged for a solar farm in the Brannockstown-Harristown-Dunstown area with a total area of 246 hectares, writes Brian Byrne. The applicant is Delamain Solar Farm Limited.

The installation will include ground-mounted solar voltaic panels with a surface area of 1.13 million sq metres, over six separate locations, and associated containers for inverter/transformer stations, storage, and weather stations. The maximum output is estimated to be circa 210 megawatts, and the operational lifetime is expected to be 40 years.

The full list of townlands involved includes Brannockstown, Brownstown, Carnalway, Coghlanstown West, Corbally, Delamain, Dunnstown, Gaganstown, Greenhills, Harristown, Hillsborough, Moorhill and Rochestown 

A decision date for the application is 20 July 2023, with submissions possible up to 29 June 2023. The application number is 23567 and full details can be accessed here.

Delamain Solar Farm Ltd was established in April of last year, with the largest shareholder registered as Terra Solar Ii Limited, established six years ago and based at NovaUCD, Belfield, Dublin. 

A local organisation, the Harristown Coughlanstown Community Group, has begun a campaign against what is seen to be 'industrial-sized' developments in the area, including another solar farm at Swordlestown for which planning was granted and is being appealed to An Bord Pleanala, one rumoured for between Swordlestown South and Coughlanstown West, and the Battery Energy Storage System at Dunnstown given permission by ABP and currently the subject of a Judicial Review at the request of the Two Mile House Says NO campaign.

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