Planning permission has been refused for a 25ha expansion of an approved solar farm between Claregalway and Athenry, as there is already planning in place for the site.
Renewable Energy Systems Ltd sought approval for a solar energy development on land at Ballymoneen/Grange East.
This would operate as an extension of the 140ha Ballymoneen Solar Farm, for which they which RES received planning permission in January of 2021.
The site comprises five fields bounded by dry stone walls, fences, and hedgerows, approximately 0.5km east of Cregmore Park Golf Club.
In refusing planning permission, the County Council said that it would contravene the conditions attached to the approval of the larger 140ha Ballymoneen Solar Farm.
The plans would contravene Condition No. 1 of that approval, which required that the plans be carried out in their entirety as submitted, “as it proposes development of solar panels in the area of the energy storage facility previously approved under Pl. Ref: 20/961.”
“Therefore the development contravene materially a condition attached to an existing permission for development,” the decision said.
The second reason for refusing to approve the development was that the council was not satisfied that the site could be adequately accessed, or surface water disposed of properly.
