Solar farm development on 86 hectares of private land proposed in South Galway
Irish solar company BNRG has put forward an application seeking permission to develop an 86ha solar panel farm on private land in rural south Galway.
The proposed site spans Cahercarney, Shessy North and South, and Lydacan, with the area identified as suitable due to its low-lying pastoral land and proximity to strategic points on the national grid, according to the application.
The site straddles the L4518 and sits west of the M18.
BNRG states that the proposed development is designed to generate 70MW of solar energy, sufficient to power approximately 11,000 homes.
The development plans include solar PV panels that are ground mounted, twelve medium voltage stations, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) installation, fencing and security throughout the site, six storage containers, and six turning bays. Included in the proposal are temporary construction facilities needed for the completion of the project.
The application indicates that construction is projected to commence between 2027 and 2028, with a nine-month construction period followed by a commissioning phase that will last between three and six months. The entire development is expected to be completed and operational by 2029.
Access to local properties are expected to remain in place and local disruption to be kept to a minimum.
BNRG is seeking approval for a ten-year period, while the farm would have an operational lifespan of 40 years.
Consultation with Galway County Council occurred in January 2025. In conjunction, a series of public consultation activities and clinics have occurred throughout the year according to the application.
Primary issues raised at the public consultation involved traffic, protection of visual amenities, noise impact, and the management of the Community Benefit Fund according to BNRG Shessy latest news. Individual submissions from these consultations have not been made public.
BNRG confirmed that the land will be maintained as open and productive for sheep grazing, with appropriate cultivation and re-seeding implemented in areas affected by soil compaction.
A variety of flora, fauna, and animal species were considered in the reports accompanying the planning application, including bats, badgers, and birds. The application states that mitigation measures have been developed to minimise disruption during construction, with any residual impacts assessed as being of “low magnitude.”
Eight of the nine Irish resident bat species were recorded on the site; however, the proposal incorporates measures to enhance landscape features which will positively impact bat habitats in the area.
If approved, the development will have an expected lifetime of 40 years after which the panels and additional facilities will be dismantled, and the site intends to be restored. This decommissioning phase will take place over six months.
Galway County Council is expected to make a decision on the development, including the solar panels, BESS, and associated cabling, by mid-November. A separate application will be submitted directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála regarding the proposed grid connection and substation associated with the development.