Council approves large-scale solar energy farm

Permission has been granted for a large-scale solar farm near Loughrea – despite some concerns from local residents.

Earlier this year the development of 28,000 square metres of solar photovoltaic panels on ground-mounted frames was rejected by Galway County Council because of the glare it would present for local motorists.

However, this decision has now been overturned on appeal to An Bord Pleanala on the grounds that it would not injure the visual or residential amenity of the area.

Bord Pleanala was also of the view that the development at Ardnamona East, Loughrea would not negatively impact on road safety and also would not lead to increased flood risk – as it had been feared when the application was lodged.

The Planning Appeals Board set out eleven conditions that have to be complied with, granting permission for a period of 25 years and insisting that cameras and fencing have to be provided for security purposes.

Engie Developments Limited had already been granted planning permission for another solar farm near Loughrea, but this application was rejected by the local authority.

In refusing planning permission, Galway County Council also stated that flood risk issues relating to the sites had not been adequately addressed while the plans would also have an adverse impact on local houses.

They said that the location of the solar farm and the height of the CCTV proposals in close proximity to these houses, it would adversely impact on the residential amenities of these homes because of the visual impact it would create.

Planners were also of the view that because of the low-lying and exposed rural setting, the proposed development would form “an incongruent feature incapable of being adequately assimilated into the rural landscape”.

In the application for a solar farm at Ardnadoman East, Engie applied to construct 28,000 square metres of PV panels. It said the overall aim would be to export electricity to the national grid.

The residents living close to the proposed development were worried that it would have an adverse impact on the value of their homes while Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) believed that it would have the potential to cause a traffic hazard because of its location.

According to TII, the proposed location for the solar energy farm on the N65 Loughrea to Portumna road had the potential to endanger public safety as it would cause a distraction for motorists given its scale and potential glare.