Solar farm company is appealing three decisions
Solar energy company Highfield Solar have appealed three separate decisions by Wexford County Council not to grant permission for solar farms around the county.
Wexford County Council refused Highfield Solar Limited permission to build a huge 89.5 hectare solar farm at Ballyminaun Big, Grahormick, Hilltown, Jonastown, Newhouse, Gibboughstown, Garryhask, Crosstown, Killinick and Tomhaggard and a 12.7 hectare farm at Monafin, Enniscorthy as well as a 20 hectare solar farm at Tomfarney, Clonroche.
In respect of the proposed larger solar farm at Killinick the council refused permission for the farm for several reasons. It said that an objective of the County Development Plan is to ‘require all developments to be appropriate in scale and sited, designed and landscaped having regard to their setting in the landscape so as to ensure that any potential adverse visual impacts are minimised’.
It went on to say that the proposed 89.5 hectare farm would ‘ have an adverse effect on the visual amenity of the area and be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area’. The council also said that development had failed to have regard to its setting in the landscape in terms of scale, siting and elevated nature.
Another reason for the planning refusal was possible adverse effects to nearby homes and road users from the glare of the panels. It said ‘the planning authority is not satisfied it has been adequately demonstrated that residential properties in close proximity to the site will not be adversely effected by glint and glare arising from the proposed development.
‘It is also consider that the proposed development could endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard because it has not been demonstrated that the glint and glare arising from the proposed development will not have a negative impact on the users of the surrounding regional road network.’
In relation to the Monafin farm the council refused permission on the bases that the development would be ‘contrary to proper and the sustainable development of the area’.
It said that all developments should be ‘appropriate in scale and sited, designed and landscaped having regard to their setting in the landscape so as to ensure that any potential adverse visual impacts are minimised’. However it said that ‘the proposed development due to its scale, siting and elevated nature of the site fails to have regard to its setting in the landscape and have an adverse effect on the visual amenity of the area’.
In addition to this the council also said it ‘is not satisfied that it has been adequately demonstrated, given the absence of any natural screening, the orientation of the arrays and the topography of the land, that the dwellings to the west of the site will not be adversely effected by glint from the proposed development.
‘Therefore, the proposed development would have a detrimental effect on residential amenity.’
Inadequate sight lines was the main reason behind the refusal for the farm at Tomfarney, Clonroche. Here the council said that ‘while it had no objection in principal to the proposed development at the location the issue of traffic safety outlined in the roads report must be address before any further consideration can be given to the application’.
The roads department had recommended that permission be denied on the basis that entrance is ‘on a sweeping bend where maximum speed limit applies and at a location where there is a history of accidents, in addition it had not been shown that minimum sight lines are available.’
The council went on to say that the development would not be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area because it would ‘endanger public safety’ as a result of the traffic hazard on the proposed access. ‘Notwithstanding the fact that there is an existing access, the required sight lines for new development is 230m and are not available from the proposed access’.
A decision on all three appeals is expected by An Bord Pleanala in January 2017.