Castleyons solar farm given the green light

PERMISSION has been granted for a 22-acre solar farm near Fermoy – the second such facility planned by Cork based Amarenco Solar in North Cork to be given the thumbs up within the past fortnight.

Last week The Corkman reported that the council had given the green light to a 30-acre solar farm in Kanturk – one of nine planned for sites around the county by Amarenco, the company founded by former Bord Gáis chief executive John Mullins.

The latest facility, on a site at Corrin/Kill-Saint-Anne- North, Castleyons, will consist of some 22,200 photovoltaic cells on ground mounted frames two inverter/transformer stations and associated works including a delivery station and CCTV.

It will generate five mega-watts of electricity, enough to power 1,000 homes, which will be fed back into the national grid.

While council planners gave permission for the facility, they did stipulate 29 separate conditions the developer must fulfil before, during and after construction.

They deal largely with issues such as the protection of local wildlife and fauna, flood protection, water quality, traffic safety and archaeological preservation.

One of the conditions also ruled that prior to commencement, Amarenco pay over a bond of €65,318 to cover the cost of reinstating local public roads should they be damaged by the transport of materials to the site.

Planners also stipulated that the all structures be removed not later that 25-year after commissioning unless planning permission has been granted for its retention.

This brings to seven the number of solar farms planned by Amarenco in Cork that have been granted planning permission, with the capacity to generate a combined total of 35 mega-watts of power.

Amarenco is also seeking approval for two other facilities, one at Currabeha, Crookstown and the other at Ballinvarrig East, Castlelyons.

The initial application for the facility at Ballinvarrig was refused by planners in April of last year, with Amarenco resubmitting an application for the site two months later.

A decision on the application is pending after council officials wrote back to Amarenco in January seeking further information.