2460043: A 10 Year Planning Permission for a solar farm with a total area of circa 192 hectares. The solar farm will consist of solar panels on ground mounted frames, 30 no. single storey electrical inverter/transformer stations, 4 no. single storey spare parts containers, 4 no. Ring Main Units, 8 no. weather stations, underground electrical ducting and cabling within the development site, private lands and within the L3051, L3052 and L3050 public roads to connect solar farm field parcels, security fencing, CCTV, access tracks, 2 no. stream deck crossings and 1 no. horizontal directional drill, temporary construction compounds, landscaping and all associated ancillary development and drainage works. Construction and operational access will be via 4 no. entrances from the L3051, L3052 and L3050. The operational lifespan of the solar farm will be 40 years and planning permission is requested for this duration. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared and will be submitted to the Planning Authority with the application
In the townlands of Ballybar Upper Ballyloo Ballyryan, Garryhundon and Linkardstown, County Carlow.
DecisionRefused
Decided25 March 2025
Application typePERMISSION
Source documents5
Site
What is on file
3refusal reasons0conditions8nearby records
Decision details
Core application dates and identifiers from the public planning record.Planning analysis
Refusal reasons and planning conditions extracted from the public decision file.Refusal reasons
Visual Amenity
Unmitigated impacts on local landscape character and visual amenity due to location on elevated, conspicuous land and proximity to settlements.
Carlow County Development Plan 2022-2028; Carlow's Renewable Energy Strategy (Solar Opportunity Areas)high impact on the character of the area of elevated densities of rural settlement as well as areas of higher and / or conspicuous land
Residential Amenity
Scale of development disproportionately affects an area with elevated residential receptors.
Carlow County Development Plan 2022-2028Disproportionate impacts on an area of elevated concentration of residential amenity
Other
Decision would be premature without determining cumulative/in-combination effects of adjacent solar farm applications covering a combined 265ha.
Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (EIA threshold: 100ha for restructuring rural landscapes)Prematurity in the absence of a determination of the cumulative effects of other relevant applications (particularly Planning Ref. 24/60205)
Conditions
No conditions
No conditions are on record for this application yet.
Source documents
Original council portal records and source PDFs where available.- Application fileApplication file on www.eplanning.ieSource portal
- Notification Of DecisionSource: carlowcoco.eplanning.ie / D0153b50-d0f4-4821-a453-a37d86dc9089.pdf / Document 130694Source PDF
- Chief Executives OrderSource: carlowcoco.eplanning.ie / 26d5f6e6-124d-4f67-b746-6cd59a8c9fba.pdf / Document 130695Source PDF
- Planners ReportSource: carlowcoco.eplanning.ie / 828c18f6-60c9-4b88-8df6-406cc9a5b9ce.pdf / Document 130889Source PDF
- F I Request LetterSource: carlowcoco.eplanning.ie / 6b89eb4b-e383-4980-ba5c-db1336a8468e.pdf / Document 111914Source PDF
Nearby precedent
Similar nearby applications linked to this planning decision.- 20155The construction of a single storey dwelling house, formation of a new vehicular entrance and driveway, bored well, wastewater treatment system and polishing filter and all associated site works. A Natura Impact statement has been prepared in respect of the planning application. / 0.7 km away / 17 July 2020Refused
- 2460005To construct a single storey dwelling, single storey garage, new domestic entrance from an existing agricultural laneway, septic tank & percolation area, bored well and all associated site works / 1.0 km away / 19 September 2024Refused
- 266Extension of Duration of PL20/308 for the construction of a single storey dwelling, septic tank and percolation area, upgrading of existing entrance, bored well, connection to services and all associated site works / 2.6 km away / 07 April 2026Refused
- 21238Permission is sought for the construction of a dwelling house (198 sq m), domestic garage, septic tank and percolation area, site entrance and connection to services and associated site works / 2.8 km away / 16 December 2021Refused
- 22254Construction of a dwelling house (198sqm), domestic garage, septic tank and percolation area, site entrance and connection to services and associated site works / 2.8 km away / 29 September 2022Refused
- 20418Construction of a dwelling house (198 sq m), domestic garage, septic tank and percolation area, site entrance and connection to services and associated site works / 2.8 km away / 25 January 2021Refused
- 19390For the construction of a detached domestic shed and all associated site works / 3.1 km away / 22 November 2019Refused
- 23149PL18/211 - Extension of Duration for PL13/40. Full Planning Permission is sought to demolish existing agricultural sheds, for the alteration to the site boundary as granted under previous Pl Ref No's. 08/182 and 08/469, full Planning Permission is sought to reduce the house numbers as granted under PL Ref: 08/469 by 9 No. houses and full planning permission is sought for 5 No. fully serviced sites, resulting in an overall reduction of 4 No. sites on the total increased site area, all ancillary site works and services / 3.1 km away / 18 October 2023Refused