Kildare County Council has refused planning permission for a €100 million solar farm due to the potential impact it could have on the equine industry.
Portlaoise based EEL Mullacash Solar Ltd had applied for permission for the 105MW solar farm across 318 acres of land 4km from Naas.
The council has turned down the scheme after concluding that that it would seriously impact on the equine amenity of the area, would impede the equine industry to flourish, and be contrary to policies in the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 aimed at protecting the equine industry.
Ceann Comhairle in the last Dáil, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD and local residents, along with stud farm owners, raised concerns over the solar farm planned for 30 fields of agricultural land currently used for pastoral farming.
The council received over 50 objections and in his submission, Mr Ó Fearghaíl told the council that “the concerns of local residents and stud farm owners are not without significant justification”.
The Kildare South Fianna Fáil TD said: “To concentrate three large solar farms in one small geographical location and on top class agricultural land seems to me to be an initiative that is hard, if not impossible, to justify.”
Mr Ó Fearghaíl pointed out that the county development plan “has always given special protection to the bloodstock industry”.
The council planning report said that the county development plan does support renewable energy production in rural areas and this has to be balanced with other policies.
The planners said that a true and reasonable balance had not been achieved in this case and that the proposal would have a significant and negative impact on a sensitive location within the county.
The council also refused planning permission as the scheme sought to be located on lands identified as “Irish wetlands” and the proposed development failed to protect the biodiversity of this wetland and would therefore contravene materially the Kildare County Development Plan 2023- 2029.
The council refused permission as the proposed development would adversely affect natural habitat types as listed in annex I of the EU Habitats Directive.
The planning authority also refused planning permission as the scheme would result in the removal of 136 metres of hedgerows “resulting in the disconnect of existing green infrastructure and negatively impacting on well-established flora and fauna at a sensitive location within the county”.
As part of the comprehensive refusal, the council determined that the development − due to its extent, potential glint and glare − would seriously injure the amenities, or depreciate the value, of property in the vicinity.
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