Large-scale Clara solar farm gets go ahead
A solar farm project in Clara which was originally granted planning permission in 2018 has had a new planning application granted this week to take into account a number of updates to comply with contemporary standards.
One of the key changes to the planning permission for the Clara site which was granted in 2018 is in the height of the solar panel tables.
The 2018 permission was for solar panel tables which would have reached a maximum height of 1.3 metres at the low end to 2.95 metres at the high end. This has now been revised up to 1.6 metres at the low end and to a maximum height of 3.17 metres at the high end.
Engie Developments Ltd lodged a planning application with Offaly County Council on September 3 last for a circa 14MW solar pv farm on a 29.75 ha site located off the Curragh Road (L20171) in the townsland of Clara.
The application sought a 10-year permission with an operational lifetime of 35 years, for a development consisting of approximately 38,000 panels on ground mounted metal frame.
The development also includes a 38kV substation; an ESB switch room, and associated electrical infrastructure; three transformer units; underground cabling and ducting; a temporary construction compound and site access from existing site access off Curragh Road.
A Planning and Environmental Report (PER) prepared by Galway-based planning and environmental consultant MKO, as part of the application, stated that the site had previously been “deemed suitable for the Proposed Development” by Offaly County Council as “an identical development by the same applicant” was permitted on December 19, 2018.
In explaining the rationale for seeking a further grant of permission for the same site, the report stated that this planning application seeks permission to provide the same development “with updates to comply with contemporary standards.”
It added that the applicant, Engie DevelopmentsLtd., is currently developing a number of renewable energy sites across Ireland, in addition to several large-scale battery storage sites.
Offaly County Council granted planning permission for project, subject to 26 conditions.