47-hectare Cork solar farm gets go-ahead from the council subject to conditions

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

Cork County Council has granted conditional permission for a 47-hectare solar farm between Rathcormac and Castlelyons in north-east Cork.

The 10-year permission was granted to Amarenco Solar Rathcormac Limited. The proposed development site boundary encompasses four previously permitted solar farms.

The development address is Corrin, Kill Saint Anne North, Clykeel North, Ballinvarrig East, Ballinvarrig West, Deerpark, Knockaduff, Kill Saint Anne South, Ballyarra, Mohera, Spuree, Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

The development would consist of solar photovoltaic panels on ground-mounted frames, four single-storey transformer stations, four single-storey spare parts storage containers, a single-storey MV electrical kiosk, and a 38kV substation compound with a single-storey substation building.

Also included in the works are underground electrical ducting, cabling and joint bays within the development site and within the L-1520-11, L1520-39, L-1518-0, L5789-0 and L-1517-0 public roads to connect the solar farm field parcels.

In addition, the development would involve new entrances off the L-5720-11 and the L-5170-0, the upgrading of an existing agricultural entrance off the L-1520-11, internal access tracks, security fencing, CCTV, and landscaping.

The solar panels would be arranged within a site area covering approximately 41.72 hectares while the site area within the public road is approximately 4.9 hectares. The total development area, including ancillary works, amounts to approximately 46.66 hectares.

Amarenco was co-founded by the former Bord Gáis Energy CEO John Mullins, who died in April. Last October the company announced it had won five solar projects under Ireland’s fourth Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction. The projects located in Midleton, Cobh, Timoleague, and Carrigaline in Cork and Ennistymon in Clare would generate almost 30 megawatts, the company said.

Appeals against the Castlelyons solar farm approval can be made to An Bord Pleanála within four weeks of the planning authority’s decision.

Opposition has been growing to proposed solar farm developments in County Cork. In June, members of Cork Communities Alliance for Change, an alliance of ten action groups around the county, staged a protest outside County Hall calling for better regulation of wind and solar projects.