Solar farm given green light despite objections
A solar farm in Davidstown has been given the go ahead by An Bord Pleanala despite objections.
Wexford County Council had granted permission for the farm in mid 2016 but this decision was appealed to An Bord Plealana by Stephen Crean, Edward Denton and others, C/O EMK Design Limited of Monamolin, Gorey.
Davidstown Renewables Ltd had applied for planning permission for a 10.28 solar PV farm comprising approximately 24,200 photovoltaic panels on ground mounted frames with an export capacity of 5MW which is enough to power 1,280 typical homes.
The application also looked for permission to erect five single storey inverter/ transformer stations, one single storey substation compound, security fencing, CCTV, associated electrical cabling and ducting, alteration to existing entrance to include access gates, access road and all ancillary development works on land at Davidstown (The Leap).
The main grounds of the appeal centred around concerns regarding the impact on traffic safety, noise, impact on property, glint and glare, lack of formal consultation with neighbouring homes, absence of balanced health and safety information in relation to radiation and electromagnetic and the fact that the laneway serving the site is in private ownership.
An Bord Pleanala granted permission for the farm saying it was satisfied ‘ the proposed development would not be likely to have significant effects on European Sites, either by itself or in combination with other plans or projects.
The Board had regard to the limited scale of excavation arising, the low potential to generate effects accordingly and their localised nature, and the poor drainage connectivity involved.
‘Having regard to the nature, characteristics, scale and location of the proposed development, and to the characteristics of its potential impacts, the Board is satisfied that the proposed development would not be likely to have significant effects on the environment, and concurred with the overall analysis set out in the Inspector’s report in this regard. The Board, therefore, concluded that the submission of an environmental impact statement was not required.’
The Board also felt the proposed development would have ‘acceptable impacts on visual amenity, would not seriously injure the residential amenities of property in the vicinity, and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area’.
The planning permission is for 25 years while the inverters will be green. The external walls of the proposed substation will be finished in a neutral colour such as grey or off-white and the roof will be black tiles.