Plans have been lodged for a €141m 118 MW solar farm for a 428 acre site within the townlands of Cadamstown, Ballina, Clonuff and Garrisker in Co Kildare.
New plans by Cadamstown Solar Ltd are seeking planning permission from Kildare Co Council for the solar farm across 39 fields of agricultural land on a site 9.55km from Kinnegad.
A planning report lodged with Kildare Co Council on behalf of the applicants states that the proposed development "will provide a stable and diversified source of revenue over a sustained period to landowners concerned while improving the ecological value of the site and safeguarding its reuse for agriculture in future".
The report states: "After the solar farm has been decommissioned, the site can revert back to open pasture."
A planning report drawn up by Neo Environmental states that "a solar farm of up to 5MW typically requires a capital investment of €6m, so on a pro rata basis, as the proposed development will generate 118MW, this figure will be approximately €1412m.
The report states that "in addition to the solar panels, arrays and electrical infrastructure, a range of support services will be required including haulage, on-site welfare facilities, refuse and recycling facilities, transport and potentially local accommodation for construction workers.
The report states that the proposal will result in a significant saving of CO2 per year compared to equivalent fossil fuel generation and will help County Kildare to fulfil their aims of increased renewable energy production.
A grid connection for the solar farm "will be a loop in loop out substation connection" and the planning report states that the grid connection "will form part of a separate Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) application which can only take place once planning approval has been granted for the solar farm under existing planning rules.
The report states that the proposed development site is 9.55km southeast of the town of Kinnegad and9km northeast of Edenderry.
The report states that the site is currently being used for a mix of arable and pasture farming with some cut over bogland in the northern area.
Advancing the planning case for the proposal, the planning report states that the overall design of the proposed development "has carefully considered its setting within the confines of the county Kildare to ensure the potential effects upon landscape and visual receptors are limited".
On the visual impact of the scheme, the planning report states that the magnitude of visual change for views up to 250m is considered low and very low/ negligible.
A decision is due in January 2025.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
