Forty submissions made on planning application for major solar farm

More than 40 submissions have been made on a planning application for a 500-acre solar farm submitted to Meath Co Council by GP Joule Ireland Limited for lands in the townlands of Mulhussey, Batterstown, Longtown, Mullagh, Milltown and Kilcock, Co Meath.

A 10-year planning permission is being sought for the construction of a 205.15-hectare solar farm and underground grid connection route. If approved it would have a 40-year operation and the planning application also includes its subsequent decommissioning.

The solar farm is proposed for three separate land parcels divided by local roads and consists of a series of ground mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, mounted on steel support structures and in some areas on concrete shoes to protect possible underground archaeological features, together with 58 electrical transformation enclosures, and underground cabling.

Permission is also sought for two temporary construction compounds and use of existing hardstanding, the use of existing farm access tracks, existing site entrances, widening of three existing site entrance, inverters, CCTV poles and cameras, deer type security/boundary fencing with some areas of boundary development on concrete shoes to further protect possible underground archaeological features, landscaping and biodiversity measures and all associated development works.

Local farmer Richard O'Malley is one of those who made a submission on the application and told how their land is bordered by the solar farm site on two sides.

“The land beside us was already artificially raised 15-20 years ago so it is already elevated and now this proposal would raise it by another 3.2m. It would be casting a shadow over my land,” he said.

He also said he is concerned about who would regulate the solar farm pointing out that it is to be there for 40 years. Other concerns he has includes the CCTV and the high fencing that would run along the boundary and the increased heavy traffic during construction.

Richard said dairy farmers are also very concerned that badgers and deer will be disturbed during construction leading to the spread of TB in livestock.

“There is already a proliferation of solar farms in Meath between those that are completed and ones that have planning,” he said.

“It is not going to create any jobs when it opens. It will take away jobs as a lot of contractors get work on that land. Once it is built, there will be no jobs,” he added.

Among the other submissions is one from St Joseph's NS, Mulhussey, which raised a number of concerns including that heavy good vehicles accessing the site during construction could pose a hazard for pupils walking and cycling to and from school, that traffic congestion outside the school could present a danger particularly at drop off and collection times, concerns about noise during construction and operational noise from the inverters and/or transformers, and the possible impact of glint and glare on the use of whiteboards. The school's submission acknowledges that a representative from GP Joule visited the school to explain and inform the principal and chairperson of the board of management of the project.

A decision is due on the planning application later this month.